Norwich — Up to 40 Norwich high school students might soon get to choose to attend high school at Bacon Academy in Colchester if school officials from the two districts reach an agreement that would make Norwich Bacon’s first out-of-district sending town.

Colchester school officials presented a proposal to the Norwich Board of Education Tuesday that would call for 10 Norwich students per grade to attend Bacon Academy — perhaps more ninth-graders at the start.

The Colchester Board of Education heard the proposal later Tuesday night, but neither board voted on the plan, superintendents for the two districts said Wednesday.

The two boards expect to discuss the idea again at their November regular meetings, and they could vote at that time if a formal contract can be negotiated between the two districts in time.

Even without formal board approval or a contract in place, Bacon Academy officials plan to attend two Norwich high school fairs for eighth-graders and their parents — one next week at Kelly Middle School and one in November — to let parents know Bacon could become an option.

Colchester Superintendent Jeffry Mathieu said the idea arose because of Bacon’s projected declining enrollment that leaves space in the high school building for tuition students.

Bacon’s enrollment, which once topped 1,000, is at 854 students this year and is projected to drop below 800 within the next several years, Mathieu said.

Mathieu said he is fearful that as enrollment declines, Bacon wouldn’t be able to offer the same course selection for students, and Colchester students would lose some of the more specialized, lower enrollment classes.

“If we are able to maintain our current enrollment, then we can maintain class offerings,” Mathieu said Wednesday.

Bacon has not made similar offers to other school districts but may do so in future years, Mathieu said.

Norwich Superintendent Abby Dolliver said a proposed tuition rate has not been decided. 

Colchester’s per-student cost is higher than the $11,772 per student tuition Norwich pays to Norwich Free Academy. That rate is expected to increase by 2.5 percent next year.

“They know they have to be competitive,” Dolliver said.

Colchester calculates special education tuition based on individual students’ needs, rather than a program cost, Mathieu said, billing for the number of hours a student spends with a specific teacher, such as a speech therapist.

Dolliver said Norwich special education enrollment at Bacon could be determined through program placement conferences held with parents for each student. Enrollment might be done by lottery if spaces are limited, she and Mathieu said.

c.bessette@theday.com

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