HISTORY

Known for its beautiful natural surroundings, Lincoln is situated at the foot of Mount Abraham and the village center rests on the banks of the New Haven River. Surrounded by forests and farms, the town values its scenic beauty, rural character, and strong community identity. The Lincoln Community School (built by town residents in 1957) plays a central role in this identity as well as in the social and economic fabric of the Town.

Vermont’s push for school district consolidation began in 2012 and was codified in statue with the passage of Act 46 in 2015. The cost savings of consolidation have not materialized while small towns, like Lincoln, experienced continued erosion of local control of spending, of curriculum delivery, even of the schedule of their school day. In December 2021, with a proposal on the table to close the Lincoln Community, residents began to explore the possibility of Lincoln becoming its own school district.

After tremendous effort and the support of voters in Lincoln and the surrounding towns, in May 2022 the State Board of Education approved Lincoln’s withdrawal from the Mount Abraham School District (MAUSD) and designated it its own school district. In November 2022, Lincoln was designated its own supervisory district – the smallest in the State.

The Lincoln School District began full operations on July 1, 2023 and the 2023-2024 school year promises to be one of new opportunities for students and teachers, in and out of the classroom, and for the community to regain its voice in the education of its students. It is also an opportunity for Lincoln to demonstrate the unique value and sustainability of small, rural schools in Vermont.