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Commission raises alarms about school‑choice impacts; Kirby supplies large share of district students
Summary
As the commission edited the education section of the town plan, members flagged the fiscal and community impacts of school choice: commissioners cited district numbers (303 students district‑wide; about 144 from Kirby) and discussed residency, tuition and the long‑term tax burden on residents.
Commissioners devoted a long segment of the meeting to the town plan's education section and the interaction between school choice and local taxes. Participants noted that Kirby sends a high share of students to the regional choice district, and they debated whether residency requirements or district‑level policy changes would be needed to address fiscal strain.
One participant summarized the concern with district numbers: "there's 303 students total for this entire district and 144 of those are from Kirby," which commissioners described as an alarming proportion that could erode the town's volunteer base and long‑term fiscal stability. Members discussed that any change to residency or eligibility is likely a school‑district policy issue rather than a zoning board action, and that formal legal counsel and broader public conversation would be necessary to alter district participation or residency policy. The commission agreed the topic merited a larger conversation and possible town‑level outreach ahead of any formal proposals.
