modifying the procedures for withdrawal from a cooperative school district and the discontinuance of elementary and high schools and requiring the review of school district operating documents by school boards.

The bill title changed from 'As Amended by the Senate' to 'Version adopted by both bodies,' indicating the House and Senate reached agreement on final text.

A Committee of Conference stamp (4Jun2026, 2076CofC) was added, recording the date the conference committee resolved differences between the two chambers.

The bill's title and overall scope expanded from only addressing withdrawal procedures from cooperative school districts to also covering the discontinuance (closure) of elementary and high schools and requiring periodic review of school district operating documents by school boards.

A new option allows the governing body of a municipality to preserve the operation of a school located within that municipality even when the majority of voters across all municipalities served by the district voted to close it.

School administrative units and cooperative school districts are explicitly required to comply with the provisions of the act.

Voters residing in ALL municipalities served by a school district must now vote on the closure of schools, rather than just voters in the withdrawing or affected district.

When a municipality exercises its option to preserve a school, it must enter into an operating agreement with the school district.

School boards of single district school districts, cooperative school districts, and school administrative units must review operating documents for each district every 3 years and provide findings and recommendations from that review.

The state board of education is authorized to conduct hearings and issue final decisions on whether a school shall be closed or continue operating when no operating agreement has been reached between the municipality and the district.