As Francestown continues its careful and deliberate journey toward withdrawing from the
ConVal School District, our School Committee has spent significant time studying other small towns that have pursued similar paths. What we’ve found has been both encouraging and enlightening.
It’s important to say up front that cooperative school districts, like ConVal, can work well for many communities. But through our research, it has become clear: they don’t work for every town and they are no longer working well for ours.
Anyone who scrolls through their local Facebook group or attends a town meeting has likely heard concerns about the cost of education to taxpayers, the lack of before- and after-care options for younger learners and questions about educational outcomes. These aren’t isolated complaints. They represent broader frustrations across several district towns that are reflected year after year in school budget votes. Some towns consistently support the budget; others have routinely expressed concern at the ballot box.
In studying similar communities, we found two standout examples: Mason and Hill, both of
which left relationships with larger districts and reclaimed their small schools. Today, those schools are thriving. Community involvement has increased. Test scores have gone up. In fact, Mason now ranks in the top 25% statewide for proficiency.
Critics of withdrawal often point to challenges with staffing or enrollment. But Mason and Hill tell a different story. Enrollment has increased, as younger families move in, drawn by the strong local school. And hiring? Both towns report that finding teachers is no more difficult than before and perhaps more importantly, retention has dramatically improved. For a variety of reasons, these small schools are not seeing the turnover that plagues larger systems. They’re offering competitive benefits, managing special education obligations and costs and maintaining strong relationships between staff, students and families.
Most importantly, these schools are fulfilling the promise of public education. They are feeding, transporting and teaching their students with pride. The staff is happy. The parents are engaged. And the students are thriving.
The takeaway is clear: the “ConVal way” is not the only way. For a town like Francestown, one with a long-standing, high-performing elementary school, deep civic engagement and a desire for more local control, it may not be the best way either.
As we look to the future, we owe it to our students, our educators and our taxpayers to consider a model that works better for Francestown. Independence is not about abandoning public education. It’s about protecting it, strengthening it and making it work — for everyone.
Laura Mafera, Chair of the Francestown School Committee