Proposed Amendment to WCUUSD School Closure Process is Approved 

CENTRAL VERMONT — At a special election on Aug. 11, residents of Berlin, Calais, East Montpelier, Middlesex, and Worcester voted to approve an amendment to Article 4 of the Washington Central Unified Union School District (WCUUSD) articles of agreement.

With 1,711 votes of approval and 1,365 opposed, the amendment passed with a margin of only 55.6%.

With its passage, the amendment now prohibits the school board from closing any school building — or “cease using the building to provide direct instruction in at least one grade, pre-K through 12” — unless approved by a majority of the district board and a district-wide vote.

Previously, that decision was restricted to residents in the town in which a school is up for closure. 

The WCUUSD’s School Board Chair and District Clerk Designee Diane Nichols-Fleming said in a statement on the district website: “We recognize that the outcome of this vote will be received in many different ways across our community. As we move forward together, we remain dedicated to our community and our shared future. As always, our commitment to serving our communities, our staff, and, most importantly, our students, remains our highest priority.”

The change affects the academic year 2027–2028 and beyond. More information can be found at wcuusd.org.