State budget increases charter & CTE funding, kills amendment to halt cuts to education funding

The Senate approved a $11.8 billion, two-year budget on Thursday, reported the Union Leader. Included in the budget were increases in charter school funding, career and technical education funding, and funding for a new Governor’s Scholarship Program. Funding for full-day kindergarten was removed from the budget, but is expected to pass in a separate bill. 

The Senate failed to pass an amendment that would halt cuts to education funding for school districts:

By a 12-11 vote, the Senate rejected adding $6 million in additional education aid grants to public schools.

Senate President Chuck Morse, R-Salem, warned senators not to draw attention to this issue because House budget writers have cut these grants in the past to make their spending plans balance.

From the Union Leader:

Per-pupil aid to charter public schools increased by $250 per pupil in 2018 and $375 per pupil in 2019; provides $14.8 million in career and technical education tuition and transportation aid; increases state aid to the Community College System of New Hampshire by $7.3 million over the biennium to $93 million; flat-funds the University System of New Hampshire at $162 million; provides $10 million over the biennium for the newly created Governor’s Scholarship Program.

Governor Sununu said this about his Scholarship Program in his inaugural address in January:

Also, today I am proud to establish the Governor’s Scholarship program, with $5 million to directly assist high school students to attend colleges and universities, or workforce training programs of their choosing, right here in New Hampshire. We have to understand not every student travels the same workforce path and we need to build a system that provides the flexibility to work within their lifestyle.

This scholarship program is designed not to help 10, or 20, or even 100 students, but at least 1,000 students each year and will open workforce gateways like never before.

Source: State budget passes Senate, but work continues on companion bill | The Union Leader