Budget Information

Budget Quick Facts

Proposed spending is DECREASING from the current school year
$572,000 REDUCTION in education spending from the previous budget proposal
Tax Rates are predicted to DROP in all towns in the district
MVSD spends LESS per student than 80% of school systems in the state
MVSD spending per student is $1,700 LOWER than the state average
MVSD state test scores are IMPROVING in all subjects

Currently Proposed Budget: $52,153,854

This represents a reduction of over a quarter-million dollars from the previous proposal and a reduction in per pupil spending from the previous school year budget. This proposal will further reduce the equalized tax rate, and along with changes made by the state legislature, the estimated final tax rate will be LOWER than last year in all towns in the district.

The vote for this proposed budget will be held on Tuesday, April 14.

An informational meeting will be held at MVU on Tuesday, April 7 at 7:00 PM.

The previously proposed school budget of $52,440,854 and the special article for the MVU parking lot were voted down by the residents of the district on Town Meeting Day, March 3rd, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How Are Our Schools Doing?

A: We're happy to report state test scores are up in all subject areas. But test scores are only part of the picture of school success. Enrollment is stable, average daily attendance is 95%, and staff retention is at 90%. We have also started to increase focus on preparing students for future success, with a dedicated career-readiness center in MVU, on site agriculture and welding training, a partnership with Northwest Career and Technical Center, work placement programs, an internship program, an annual apprenticeship fair, early college offerings, and more opportunities being added every year. This budget was designed to ensure level services to students to maintain this momentum while also keeping our rank as one of the lowest spending districts in the state.

Q: What is a Level Service Budget?

A: A Level Service Budget means keeping the same services offered to students without removing any from the previous year, even if they have increased in cost. This helps ensure consistent progress for students year to year.

Q: How Can the Tax Rate Go Down if the School Budget Goes Up?

A: School funding is distributed by the state based on the total budgets passed by all school districts and supervisory unions. This means if spending is down on average throughout the state, taxes can go down, even if our individual district budget goes up.

Final tax rates will not be set until after all school budgets are approved, and can be influenced further by legislative decisions like using other state funds to buy down property tax rates. This is being discussed again this year, and is a major contributor to the estimated reduction in tax rates in our district.

A major factor in increases to the tax rate are property value adjustments in each town. Homesteads are taxed on the assessed value which has not been updated in many years, so the state uses a formula to increase tax rates to reflect real property value, which continues to increase in all of our towns every year.

The state also has income based tax credits that many homes in our district qualify for, so if your household income is under $115,400, you may not need to pay the full property tax amount. Learn more about the program at https://tax.vermont.gov/property/property-tax-credit

Q: How Does MVSD Spending Compare to the Rest of the State?

A: MVSD is one of the best values in Vermont. Even with rising test scores and increasing student opportunities, we spend less than 80% of school districts in the state. About $1500 less per student than the state average.

School Budget Re-Vote Warning

The legal voters of the Missisquoi Valley School District, consisting of the Towns of Franklin, Highgate, and Swanton, are hereby notified, and warned to meet to transact the following business by Australian ballot in their respective polling places hereinafter named for each of the above referenced towns on April 14th, 2026 at the polling places and times hereinafter listed.

ARTICLE I Shall the voters of the Missisquoi Valley School District approve the School Directors to expend $52,153,854 which is the amount the School Directors have determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year? The District estimates that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in a per pupil education spending of $12,173, which is 0.1% lower than the per pupil spending for the current year.

Said persons and voters warned are further notified that voter qualification, registration, absentee voting, and voter procedures shall be in accordance with Chapters 43 and 51 of Title 17 VSA.

The legal voters of the School District are further notified that an Informational Meeting will be held in person at Missisquoi Valley Union High School Library and electronically via Zoom on April 7, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of explaining the budget items to the voters. The link to access this virtual meeting will be posted on the MVSD Website, mvsdschools.org, and MVSD social media prior to the meeting.

Polling Places and Times

Videos About Our Schools

MVSD Values Efficiency and Sustainability

Operating efficiently improves student outcomes while keeping costs down at the same time! At MVSD we aim to make smart investments in staff and facilities to ensure our community gets the best value from our schools.

MVSD Fosters Enthusiasm and Well Being

Creating a culture of academic excellence starts with making learners enthusiastic about school! Showing students, staff and families that they are genuinely valued makes everyone feel like part of the school community, and that's why MVSD puts so many resources into programs to support physical, mental and emotional well-being.

How MVSD Makes Learning Better

Investing in academic excellence means we can afford the best learning resources for every student, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities necessary for success in college, careers, and life. Our proposed budget for next year will maintain level services to help us maintain momentum while keeping our rank as one of the lowest spending districts in the state.

MVSD Prepares Students for the Future

Our district has increased focus on providing opportunities for students that will guide them toward success along whatever path they choose, both in school and after graduation! The community has made clear that this is a major priority, so we've planned our budget for next year to continue all of these services while still REDUCING the equalized tax rate.