Late last week, Reaching Higher NH obtained the latest available revision of the Minimum Standards for Public School Approval, which was released to a select group of individuals on Friday, January 13. That group did not include Reaching Higher NH. According to Reaching Higher NH’s preliminary analysis, the NH Department of Education has largely restored the program elements and has made adjustments to the threshold for determining competency. The NHED had specifically sought input on both these sections over the past three months.
However, despite these changes, key concerns remain. It is our understanding that the NHED sought feedback from a small group on only program elements and graduation competencies, and did not revise or clarify other key concerns highlighted by Reaching Higher NH. These include the removal of student protections, the removal of guidance for safe and healthy schools, and the minimization of formal instruction, which could lead to the unbundling and dismantling of public schools.
More details will be released in the coming days. For more information on the minimum standards, please contact Christina Pretorius, Policy Director, at christina@reachinghighernh.org
