Slate Valley schools earn voters’ OK for budget

Orwell voters on Tuesday joined other Slate Valley Unified Union School District (SVUUSD) residents in approving a revised fiscal year 2026 public education budget of $31,623,010.

Orwell voters will go to the polls on April 15 to consider a revised fiscal year 2026 Slate Valley Unified Union School District (SVUUSD) that is $463,256 less than the spending plan voters rejected, 1,181-720, on Town Meeting Day.

Residents in the Slate Valley Unified Union School District (SVUUSD) will go to the polls on March 4 to consider a fiscal year 2026 preK-12 budget of $32,086,270.

District that serves Orwell students needed to pass spending plan before July 1 or else borrowing limit would be imposed.

After residents of the Slate Valley Unified Union School District on Thursday, May 30, defeated — for the fourth time — a proposed fiscal year 2025 preK-12 spending plan, the SVUUSD will likely hold a fifth budget vote in less than two weeks.

Three school districts serving students from Addison County will soon revote budgets. Mount Abe, Slate Valley and Otter Valley budgets deserve to pass.

We are maintaining the same spending figure because we believe that this is the absolute minimum amount of money needed to run our educational programs, keep our facilities from falling into further disrepair, and maintain a safe learning environment.

The absence of an approved FY’25 spending plan pushes SVUUSD closer to the prospect of having to borrow funds to at least begin the next budget cycle, which begins July 1.

Orwell residents will join neighboring towns in Rutland County in making a trip to the polls on Thursday, May 9, to take a third crack at passing a fiscal year 2025 spending plan for the Slate Valley Unified Union School District (SVUUSD).

Residents of the Slate Valley Unified Union School District, which serves Orwell and the northwestern part of Rutland County, face tough sledding in getting its school budget passed on a third attempt next Thursday, May 9.

Following the second rejection of a spending plan for the school district that serves Orwell late last week, officials hope to float a third spending proposal next month.

One of the most important things we can do as a community is educate our children.

Members of the school board have tried to gather information as to why this budget proposal, with an increase of less than one percent in spending per weighted pupil, and an equalized tax rate decrease of less than one percent, was unacceptable to 59% of … (read more)

Addison County residents showed strong support for education on Tuesday, when all local school budgets passed, four out of five by large margins. 

Voters in the Slate Valley Unified Union School District (SVUUSD) — which includes the town of Orwell — finally approved a 2022-2023 public education budget on Wednesday, April 13, by an 882-541 tally.