DIXFIELD — The Regional School Unit 10 board authorized a subcommittee Monday night to further study a proposal from the Byron Withdrawal Committee.

Byron residents believe the cost to educate their 15 or so students would be less if they operated their own school system.

Volunteering for the subcommittee were Roxbury representative Denise Cross, Dixfield board member Barbara Chow and Mexico member Peter DeFilipp.

Superintendent Craig King and district business manager Mary Dailey will continue to meet with the Byron Withdrawal Committee and selectmen. The next meeting will take place just before or just after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Byron’s assessment to RSU 10 equals about $15,000 per student, compared to the state estimated tuition of about $8,500 per child, as determined by property value and number of the students educated by RSU 10.

Among the concerns board members pointed out in the withdrawal committee’s  proposal was requiring RSU 10 to continue to transport Byron students to schools in the district.

Others include not paying debt incurred while Byron was part of RSU 10, such as a portion of the Region 9 School of Applied Technology building costs, and barring any new construction in RSU 10 for five years.

“The idea behind a school district is one for all and all for one. Is taxes being too high a reason to withdraw from a school district?” King asked. “That’s a fundamental question to ask.”

He also said that although many people do not send children to a school district, they pay school taxes.

King also took issue with the actual cost to educate a child. It is not just $8,500, he said, but also costs for late buses, field trips, sports programs and many other activities.

“Do we charge the state estimated tuition of about $8,500 or the cost per pupil?” King questioned.

Also, he said, if Byron pays just $8,500 to $9,000 per student when the cost should be $15,000, as the state formula dictates, then the other towns in the district would pick up the other $6,000.

Once the subcommittee and the full board more thoroughly assesses Byron’s proposal, they will present another proposal to the town.

RSU 10 includes the towns of Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner, Canton, Peru, Dixfield, Carthage, Mexico, Rumford, Byron, Roxbury, and Hanover.

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