Vermont's Act 170 is a public education transformation law enacted on June 18, 2026, that establishes a structured, district-led framework for regional collaboration and voluntary school district organization. Act 170 requires districts across the state to participate in formal study committees to analyze options for potential union district configurations or regional governance structures.
Act 170 creates mandatory regional CESAs to study options for collaboration of administrative, transportation, technology, and special education services. Colchester School District has been assigned to the Chittenden Central CESA, which includes Burlington, Colchester, Essex, Westford, South Burlington, and Winooski.
Act 170 requires all Vermont school districts to participate in a regional study process to examine whether forming larger unified union school districts is advisable. Participating in the study is mandatory, but a merger itself is not automatic. The primary goal of the study is to assess whether changing governance structures can improve educational opportunities for students, increase operational efficiencies, expand access to career technical education (CTE) and regional secondary schools, and deliver tax stability.
Colchester has been assigned to Merger Group #19, which includes Alburg School District, Champlain Islands Unified Union School District, Colchester School District, Milton Town School District, and South Hero School District.