The ConVal School Board would like to share the following information regarding the warrant article approved and filed by the member community of Francestown to study withdrawal from the ConVal School District.

On May 3, 2025, Francestown held a Special Town Meeting and voted to petition the ConVal School District to study the feasibility and suitability of Francestown’s withdrawal. The Withdrawal Study Committee, having already formed to study the case of Temple’s withdrawal, has now additionally taken up Francestown’s study. The committee consists of one school board member from each of the nine ConVal towns and one Select Board member from each of the nine ConVal towns. The makeup of the committee is dictated by state statute (RSA 195:25).

By statute, the committee has 180 days from its first meeting regarding Francestown on May 22, 2025, to complete its study and report its findings to the ConVal School Board as well as to the State Board of Education. The committee has expressed its intention to adhere to a shorter timeline as established by the prior Temple study and State Board of Education deadlines. It is the intent of the committee to complete the study by October 21, 2025, indicating whether withdrawal from the school district “is recommended, not recommended, or whether more time and information are needed to make a determination” (RSA 195:25, II).

If the committee recommends the withdrawal of Francestown, the committee would develop a withdrawal plan and file the plan with the State Board of Education by November 1, 2025. Should the State Board of Education approve the withdrawal plan, residents will vote on the issue in March 2026.

Should the committee not recommend withdrawal, it must file a report with the State Board of Education, as well as the ConVal School Board, and the committee is then dissolved (RSA 195:25, IV).

When withdrawal is not recommended by the committee, members of the committee who voted to recommend withdrawal may file a minority report with the ConVal School Board and the State Board of Education recommending withdrawal. The minority report would be filed by October 21, 2025. In addition to the minority report, members recommending withdrawal would also need to develop a withdrawal plan and submit the plan to the State Board of Education by November 1, 2025. If the State Board of Education approves the withdrawal plan, residents will vote on the withdrawal plan in March 2026.

Withdrawal Study Committee meetings are open to the public. Meeting times will be posted to the district calendar. Minutes from these meetings can be found on the School Board website: schoolboard.conval.edu/en-US/minutes-agendas-56ef752d

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