The Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee discussed next steps for a district reorganization study and outreach this week, including a proposed steering committee to guide a consultant the district plans to hire.

Superintendent Peter Light said the district issued a request for proposals to study reorganization and had received interest from multiple consultants; the goal is to select a consultant by April 15 and begin work in May so the consultant can do planning and data analysis over the summer. Light told the committee the work is driven by two primary factors: declining enrollment (the district has dropped several hundred students since regionalization and expects further declines) and tight finances that, he said, risk spreading resources too thin across schools.

Light proposed a steering committee to provide strategic direction, stakeholder engagement and consultant oversight and suggested a membership framework ranging from an efficient smaller committee (7–8 members) to a broader group (about 15 members) to ensure diverse perspectives. He recommended the steering committee produce at least three reorganization options and a strategic framework, with the goal of bringing options to the committee by December for decision.

Committee members debated membership and process. Several members argued for a smaller, more agile steering committee with broader outreach and a set of working groups to engage specific constituencies (finance committees, unions, PTOs, councils on aging, etc.). Others recommended including town finance committee members, organized labor representatives, PTSO and CPAC members, and at least one secondary principal. Members discussed whether to reserve seats for community leaders or instead ensure community input through multiple outreach forums. Some members favored two committee representatives rather than three to reduce scheduling conflicts.

There was informal consensus to aim for a roughly 15‑member committee but to leave several seats flexible (including one slot set aside to be allocated after interest is solicited). The committee agreed to take formal action to establish the steering committee at its April 3 workshop, and members urged that published meeting dates and time commitments be provided before appointments so potential members understand the workload.

What’s next: The administration will continue vetting consultant proposals with input from committee members and will present a formal steering‑committee charge and membership plan at the April 3 workshop. The RFP timeline aims for consultant selection by April 15, summer data work by the consultant, and community engagement in the fall, with draft options for the committee by December.

Ending: Committee members emphasized transparency and broad community outreach and asked the administration to publish clear meeting schedules, expected time commitments and outreach plans before appointments are finalized.