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North Andover School Committee votes not to participate in school choice
Summary
After a public hearing with no public comment, the North Andover School Committee accepted Superintendent Pam Lathrop's recommendation and voted 4-0 not to participate in the state's school choice program for the 2026—27 school year. The decision bars incoming choice students but does not affect North Andover students seeking to enroll elsewhere.
The North Andover School Committee voted 4-0 on May 21, 2026, to follow Superintendent Pam Lathrop's recommendation not to participate in the state's school choice program for the 2026—27 school year.
—————Pam Lathrop, the superintendent, opened the committee's required public hearing on school choice and told members: "My recommendation would be that we, do not participate in school choice." She said nonparticipation could affect enrollment and requires careful staffing decisions.
The committee held the hearing as a separate docket item and received no public comment or emails about school choice, members said. After the superintendent's presentation the committee closed the hearing and immediately moved to a vote later in the agenda. The motion to accept the superintendent's recommendation was made and seconded and carried by roll call with four affirmative votes.
A decision not to participate means the district will not accept students applying to attend North Andover under the state school choice program. North Andover families will retain the right to seek enrollment in districts that do participate.
The committee and administration noted the district routinely evaluates participation each year and cited enrollment and staffing concerns as the primary rationale for the recommendation. The vote followed an accepted practice of including a public hearing in the annual process and concluded without public input at the meeting.
The committee chair said the choice decision had been announced publicly and that the administration would follow up with any families who had asked about it. The committee did not set additional procedural steps beyond recording the vote and moving on to the next agenda items.
