Berlin Board of Education & City Council to host education funding workshop

Berlin’s Board of Education and Mayor are hosting a workshop on education funding on Thursday, September 6 at 6 p.m. in the Berlin Middle School Auditorium, located at 200 State Street.From Mayor Paul Grenier and School Board Chair Nicole Plourde:

On behalf of the Berlin Board of Education and the City of Berlin we would like to extend an invitation to you and any constituents to hear and discuss the current state of education funding and the continued reduction of stabilization funds from the State of NH. This is an extremely important issue facing schools and communities throughout the state many of which are within our region. Presenters will be Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky and Attorney John Tobin. Both attorneys were active participants in the past school funding lawsuits. All our school districts must equally provide an adequate education as defined by the NH Department of Education, however sustaining local funding based on property wealth is nearly impossible.

We look forward to seeing attendees from the entire North Country to provide awareness and advocacy for NH funding for education.

Cities and towns across the state are raising flags over the formula that the state uses to fund its public schools. In an opinion piece, Attorney John Tobin pointed out Berlin as an example of an inequitable system that is overly reliant on local property taxes:

With stabilization aid, the total of Berlin’s state funding amounted to more than $9,000 per pupil, more than 50 percent of its total per-pupil spending of $15,319. However, because of Berlin’s dismally limited tax base, its education tax rate is among the highest in the state, notwithstanding the considerable stabilization aid it receives.

Learn more about the school funding formula in the state, its effect on student outcomes, and more: