By Kolby R. LaMarche

As Vermont’s Act 73 drives a statewide effort to redraw school district boundaries by December 2025, Burlington School District (BSD) Superintendent Tom Flanagan has urged the Board of School Commissioners to advocate for BSD’s independence, citing its effective scale, diverse student needs, and lack of evidence that consolidation would yield its own cost savings.

The superintendent’s recommendation comes as a state task force prepares to propose up to three new school district maps by December 1, aiming to address declining enrollment, rising costs, and inequitable access to educational programs across Vermont.

Act 73 seeks to balance equity and efficiency in the state’s education system. The law established a task force charged with redrawing school district boundaries to create districts ideally serving 4,000 to 8,000 students, depending on geographic and population constraints.

The task force has met four times since June, identifying key challenges such as inequitable student access to programs like career and technical education (CTE), fragmented governance, and escalating costs.

Public hearings are scheduled to begin in October, and the Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA) has launched a statewide survey to gather input from school boards, with responses due by October 10, 2025.

Between October 27 and November 14, it will draft and review initial recommendations. Final revisions are set for November 20, with a submission to the legislature due by December 1.

If the General Assembly approves new boundaries in 2026, the reconfigured districts would take effect for the 2028-2029 school year, alongside a new statewide tax rate and weighted student funding formula.

In a memorandum dated October 7, 2025, Superintendent Flanagan outlined his case for BSD’s independence to the Burlington Board of School Commissioners. With approximately 3,200 students, BSD is close to the lower end of the state’s ideal district size.

Flanagan argued that the district is already operating at an effective scale and that merging with neighboring districts could introduce unnecessary operational and governance complexities. He emphasized that BSD serves a diverse student population with complex needs, supported by a community committed to the district’s mission.

Flanagan also challenged assumptions about cost savings through consolidation, noting that no documented evidence supports claims of financial benefits. He cautioned that speculative assertions about savings fail to account for the resources required to manage larger districts.

“Combining with neighboring districts risks complications without clear benefits to Burlington students,” Flanagan wrote, urging the board to adopt a formal stance opposing redistricting for BSD.

The superintendent proposed a motion for the board to affirm BSD’s independence and directed the board chair to communicate this position through the VSBA survey and a letter to the redistricting task force.

The board passed the recommended action, with Commissioner and State Senator Martine Larocque Gulick abstaining.