Newport, Croydon Withdrawal Plans Approved

Updating two stories we’ve been following for some time as the New Hampshire Board of Education Tuesday approved withdrawal plans for both Newport and Croydon in their attempt to leave SAU 43 in favor of two separate single-town districts.

The school boards of both towns approved withdrawal proposals late last year before submitting them to the DOE, and the measures will now go to voters in March for final approval.

If residents approve the plan by a 60-percent margin, the single-town districts would be implemented in time for the 2017 school year. SAU 43 currently incorporates the towns of Newport and Croydon, with funding for the district determined through enrollment and property value statistics.

Newport now pays 90 percent of costs in comparison to Croydon’s 10, though it’s been argued that Croydon should pay about $25,000 a year more based on the most recent statistics.

Those in favor of the withdrawal plans believe single-town districts would save both towns money in the long run.