Dear Community Members,

Join us on Monday, March 3, at 5:30 PM at U-32 for an informational meeting! We'll have a brief presentation and will be available to answer any questions you may have.

Town Meeting Day is on March 4, 2025! We are excited to share our comprehensive budget proposal that focuses on academic excellence, safe and healthy schools, and equity. This budget not only supports our students' needs but also strengthens our communities and public education while being financially responsible for the district.

You can review the full budget presentation here: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1738689666/wcsu32org/bddo3ys6xnfphzz5uqdx/2525BoardP[...]pdf

And the detailed budget report here:
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1738947187/wcsu32org/ud4ulvkiz2pvuimubulb/2025FinalD[...]pdf

As a reminder, in Vermont, education taxes (a component of property taxes) are determined by a formula that considers two main factors at the local level:

Local Education Spending per Student: This accounts for the extra support needed by some students.

The Common Level of Appraisal (CLA): This adjusts for differences between a town's assessed property value and its actual market value.

For FY26, the local net education spending is $36,008,394, reflecting a 5.92% increase from FY25. This translates to a 6.2% increase in per-pupil spending, based on the state's weighted system.

While this budget represents an increase from FY25, we have worked diligently to keep the rise as low as possible while ensuring high-quality education. If we had continued with all FY25 budget commitments, the increase would have been 12.48% due to rising costs such as health care. By incorporating about $2.25 million in reductions from maintaining FY25 commitments—including adjustments in WCUUSD staffing based on lower student enrollment and unfilled positions—we have reduced the increase to 5.92%.

The Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) also affects how tax rates vary by town:
Berlin: A small CLA drop means taxes are expected to decrease by 4.6%—about $93 less in taxes per $100,000 of house value.
East Montpelier: A small CLA drop results in an expected tax increase of 1.49%, approximately $33 per $100,000 home value.
Calais: Taxes are expected to increase by 2.58%, or about $52 per $100,000.
Worcester: A considerable CLA decrease leads to an expected tax increase of 19.98%, which equals about $367 per $100,000.
Middlesex: A small CLA drop means taxes are expected to decrease by 2.4%, or roughly $49 less per $100,000.
Note: These estimates are based on early state projections and may change.
Households that qualify for income-based property tax discounts will receive a credit on their FY26 tax bill if their education taxes exceed a certain percentage of their 2024 income. The tax rate for eligible households ranges from 2% to 2.58%, depending on income and home value, with some households paying a mix of income and property taxes. For more details, please refer to: https://tax.vermont.gov/press-release/2025-tax-filing-season-begins-jan-27-2025
https://tax.vermont.gov/individuals/renter-credit/income-eligibility-limits
WCUUSD is working hard to reduce costs while maintaining high-quality education, despite challenges such as declining enrollment and rising operational expenses. We are committed to working with our communities to develop a long-term plan that truly supports our students, our communities, and the future of public education.

We appreciate your support and hope to see you at the polls on March 4th! Let's come together to vote on a budget that makes a real difference in our students' lives and our community's future.

Your School Board

Event Info

Mar 6, 2025, 6 to 9 PM

Mar 7, 2025, 10:30 to 11:30 AM

Mar 8, 2025, 6 PM