OPINION: School district needs to be open to change

February 22, 2025 | By Brian Dalla Mura 

The Harwood Unified Union School District School Board has been outspoken in its criticism of Gov. Phil Scott’s proposal to consolidate over 100 school districts into just five. While skepticism of such a major restructuring is understandable, the intensity of the board’s opposition feels misplaced, especially given HUUSD’s own financial challenges.

What’s important to remember is that this proposal is not some radical, out-of-the-blue idea, it’s the continuation of a conversation Vermont has been having for over half a century. We are now at a breaking point. The financial pressures facing our education system are unsustainable, and the cracks are becoming impossible to ignore.

Last year, the district made the difficult decision to cut foreign language instruction for K-6 students due to budget constraints. Yet, HUUSD continues to have one of the highest per-pupil spending rates in the nation. If we are already struggling to sustain basic student programming despite our high expenditures, what does that say about the efficiency of our current system?

What good is a system that forces schools to eliminate academic programs and extracurricular opportunities for students? We are now faced with a choice: larger, consolidated districts that can provide more academic, social, and extracurricular opportunities, or small community schools that struggle to survive by cutting the very programs that enrich students’ education. If we are truly putting students first, the right path is clear.

Criticizing the governor’s plan is easy, but offering a sustainable alternative is much harder. If consolidation is not the answer, what is? If HUUSD cannot afford to educate our students, then we need to acknowledge that consolidation must be explored seriously. Refusing to consider structural change while simultaneously cutting student opportunities is not a responsible or student-centered approach.

For me, the bottom line is my own child’s education, and year after year, I’ve watched the quality decline. This isn’t due to the incredible, hardworking, and dedicated teachers in our district. They are doing their absolute best with the resources and structure they’ve been given. But that structure is deeply broken, and until we acknowledge that reality, the situation will only get worse.

Instead of dismissing reform outright, HUUSD should be focused on the real issue: ensuring that Vermont students receive the education they deserve in a way that is financially responsible. If we can’t do that under the current system, then we need to be open to change.

Brian Dalla Mura, M.Ed.

Duxbury