Bellow’s Free Academy is known for its wide range of elective classes, offering students a chance to explore their interests, but in the 2027-28 school year, these opportunities may be at risk. A statewide education policy has been proposed, increasing minimum class sizes that will change the academics for students all across Vermont. For this reason, BFA should make greater efforts to increase student involvement in elective classes.

Act 73 on the Official Vermont Government website states that the class minimum sizes for grades 9-12 will be 18 students. While this aligns with current BFA policies, the past years show that courses often ran with far fewer students. Sophia Oszurek, a senior, said that her French 4 class last year had 9 students; a size that allowed for a stronger community and collaboration between students. 

With the new policy, there will, without a doubt, be less class diversity because fewer electives will run. Smaller classes emphasize close-knit learning environments where students feel more comfortable engaging with others. Increasing the class minimum sizes may reduce the quality of classroom education and interaction. 

Furthermore, if schools cannot adhere to Act 73, they will most likely be shut down if there are not enough students in each grade. So, students will be forced to filter into larger schools that are often further away in order to comply with the class minimums. 

However, the Official Vermont Government website says that “Public schools and independent schools that are deemed to be ‘geographically isolated’ may request a waiver from these requirements from the State Board of Education.” Therefore, smaller schools may still be able to run without meeting the criteria for the new Act, but approval is not guaranteed. This leaves uncertainty for the smaller schools in Vermont. 

Although BFA itself will not close, Act 73 will significantly impact student experiences. Larger classrooms, reduced course diversity, and limited electives will narrow the educational opportunities currently available to students. The current classroom capacity of 25 students may also face challenges if the class sizes increase. Therefore, the upcoming statewide change in class size policies will inevitably cause more harm than good to schools and students across the state. With all this in mind, BFA needs to work diligently to increase interest in enrollment in elective courses.