Region One inches closer to study on enrollment declines, rising costs

“Class sizes are getting smaller, populations are getting smaller, and unfortunately the cost of everything is rising.”
— Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley

FALLS VILLAGE – Facing declining enrollment and soaring per-pupil costs – many of which are the highest in the state – Region One is moving closer to launching a wide-ranging study that could shape the future of education in the Northwest Corner. The proposal, first introduced in March, was revisited at a May 21 meeting and now heads to member towns to decide whether they’ll participate.

At last week’s ABC meeting – the All Board Chairs Committee, which includes Board of Education chairs from each of Region One’s six member towns – Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley presented a proposal for a long-term investigation into how the district might address declining enrollment and rising costs. While officials stressed no decisions have been made, the study could include discussions about regionalization and potential school consolidation – a contentious subject for years among Region One towns.

“Class sizes are getting smaller, populations are getting smaller, and, unfortunately, the cost of everything is rising,” Brady-Shanley said. She said the investigation will analyze “demographic trends, enrollment patterns and operational capacities” to establish a “future-focused framework that maximizes opportunities for students, strengthens and aligns academic programming and responsibly stewards community resources.”

Brady-Shanley was careful to explain that the study would be informative, not prescriptive, so that each town could use the data to make informed decisions regarding the future of its school.

Salisbury BOE Chair David Valcin, who also heads the ABC Committee, agreed. “The intent is to look at whether there are any ways in which we can reorganize ourselves better,” he said. “It’s asking the question – it’s not proposing anything.”

Falls Village BOE Chair Pat Mechare said she hopes the value of a local school is considered if the study is undertaken, and not overshadowed by the financials.

She said there is an ineffable quality to the region’s towns that she wants to preserve, and local schools are part of that. “I think something is lost when you don’t have a school in your town,” she said.

Philip O’Reilly, chair of Sharon’s BOE where budget discussions remain in deadlock with the Board of Finance over high costs per pupil, suggested that the study’s findings would be more nuanced.

“It isn’t about closing the school,” he said. “My personal belief is none of our towns will ever consent to that because they are such a foundation to each of our communities.”

He suggested other options that have been floated in the past – such as a regional eighth grade – may end up being considered, and that further questions and concerns will arise as the study is conducted.

Cornwall BOE Chair Iris Hermann said that she expects the biggest challenge would be how to preserve local town identities if regional options are considered.

Brady-Shanley said history and tradition would be top considerations within the research if the study is to move forward. She affirmed that the process will be open, transparent and receptive to the public throughout, with regularly scheduled public forums and informational meetings.

Sam Herrick, who has been the business manager for Region One since 1998, said that given the economic and demographic realities, “I think we owe it to our constituents to at least do the analysis.”

He pointed to soaring cost per pupil prices in the region, most of which are the highest in the state. Sharon, at $46,587 in 2024-2025, when the most recent data was drawn from, is the most expensive in Connecticut, while Cornwall, Falls Village, Kent, and Norfolk round out the top five.

Salisbury comes in at the eighth highest, while North Canaan lands at 18th, with a per-pupil cost just over $29,000.

“There are just so many questions that I think it behooves us to do some financial analysis,” Herrick said, noting that sometimes, the act of investigating can yield surprising results.

“It’s been a very uncomfortable several months looking at budget numbers,” said Heather Brand, chair of Kent’s BOE. “This is unsustainable to just have rising costs and dwindling enrollment,” she said, while noting that she also recognizes concerns from parents about consolidation.

The next steps for the study are for each BOE to review the proposal over the summer and decide whether to opt in. If it goes forward, Brady-Shanley predicts it would last throughout the next school year, with results by June 2027.