Five School Committees Unanimously Back $25M Regionalization Grant Resolution

School Committee · Meeting of April 7, 2026

WHATELY -- Five school committees back resolution urging $25 million state grant for K-12 regionalization study. Meeting jointly in Whately on April 7, the Frontier Regional, Conway, Deerfield, Sunderland, and Whately school committees voted unanimously to endorse a state legislative resolution, filed within the prior 48 hours, calling for a grant program to fund the study, planning, and implementation of full school district regionalization. Superintendent Darius framed outside funding as the key to overcoming a state law requiring all regionalizing districts to harmonize employee benefits at the most generous level, a cost that killed a prior study effort.

The four-committee majority also rated the superintendent exemplary in his annual evaluation, while Sunderland's committee voted two to one to record a proficient rating instead, citing concerns about a student disability rights matter. The Frontier committee separately approved a memorandum of agreement returning roughly $26,000, about $240 to $250 per subscriber, to covered employees and retirees from health insurance plan design savings, with checks expected by end of July.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of April 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.