The State Board of Education approved three consolidation plans at its monthly meeting, held in North Clarendon Tuesday.
The board unanimously approved the merger proposals from the Rutland South, Addison Central and Rutland Northeast supervisory unions.
A representative from each district made a pitch to the State Board on the proposed merger, and the board members asked pointed questions before voting on the consolidation plans.
The plans were each put together by members of the host communities and showed wide variations in how the new districts would be set up.
State Board of Education member Peter Peltz said these early proposals gave the state board a chance to explore some of the complicated and challenging issues concerning district consolidation.
"I just want to thank everybody that's presenting today, because this is really informing us of all the nuances and subtleties of how each proposal is being tailored to their particular needs," Peltz said.
School districts across Vermont are starting to put together consolidation plans under Act 46, the state's school district consolidation law.
The law provides significant tax breaks to districts that are able to hold a consolidation vote before July 1, 2016, and which have an expanded district in place before July 1, 2017.
Following the State Board's approval Tuesday, the consolidation plans now have to be approved by voters in the member towns.
