Dennis-Yarmouth committee votes to participate in 2025–2026 school choice program

The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School Committee voted April 7 to participate in the 2025–2026 school choice program, allowing the district to accept students from other communities next year.

Superintendent Dr. Smith told the committee the vote is an annual determination about whether the district will accept school choice students, not a restriction on where Dennis-Yarmouth students may attend. "This is about whether or not DY will accept school choice children," Dr. Smith said, adding that administration will later review enrollment and recommend which grades, and how many seats, to open.

The committee adopted a policy at a prior meeting that sets timelines and procedures for posting seat availability and conducting a lottery. Dr. Smith said surrounding districts are participating this year and estimated there are roughly 50 school-choice students currently enrolled in Dennis-Yarmouth; those students are distributed across grade levels rather than concentrated in a single grade.

Members discussed capacity and the district's reasons families leave or stay, including transfers for technical programs or charter schools, and families choosing to remain with district schools after moving to neighboring towns. The vote was taken by voice; members only recorded "aye" and the chair declared the motion carried.

Because the vote authorizes participation rather than specific seat counts, Dr. Smith said administration will return with a grade-by-grade proposal, publish lottery dates per the adopted policy, and notify families through the district website.

No roll-call tally or individual votes were recorded in the public transcript.