At their February meeting, the NH State Board of Education voted to advance the NH Education Department’s proposed overhaul of the minimum standards for public school approval. According to Reaching Higher NH’s analysis, the overhaul, led by Commissioner Frank Edelblut, would have substantial implications for New Hampshire’s public schools and the students and communities they serve. RHNH is holding a webinar to unpack the newest proposal and its implications on Wednesday, March 20, at 1:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register Here.
This week in the House:
- MONDAY: The House Ways and Means Committee will consider recommendations for key school funding bills
- MONDAY-WEDNESDAY: The House Education Committee will hold public hearings and work sessions on proposed changes to cooperative school district laws.
- THURSDAY: The full House is scheduled to vote on HB 1298, repealing the state’s “divisive concepts” bill, HB 1512, keeping the statewide school voucher program from going over budget; and HB 1594, requiring annual eligibility recertification for participation for school voucher recipients, which was a bill filed in response to a legislative oversight committee report.
The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, where it will hold a public hearing on HB 354, which would allow charter schools to receive state school building aid. The Senate Finance Committee will also meet on Tuesday, where it will hold a public hearing on HB 468, which would allow the NH Department of Education to hire an attorney to recodify all laws governing education in New Hampshire.
Peeking ahead to next week: the House Education Committee will vote on recommendations for all of its remaining bills, including HB 1298, which would waive certification and licensure requirements for teachers and paraprofessionals who work fewer than 30 hours; HB 1084, which would require the Commissioner of Education to hold certain qualifications; and HB 1691, which would redefine the content areas of a public education in state law.
Read more from Reaching Higher NH: Lawmakers face dueling priorities: Expanding school vouchers or restoring funding for public schools? and Teacher Certification and Student Outcomes: What the Research Says
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RHNH webinar on NHED’s Proposed Overhaul of the Minimum Standards for Public School Approval
Reaching Higher NH is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, March 20, at 1:00 p.m. that will walk through the key changes and implications of the NHED’s proposed overhaul of the minimum standards for public school approval. Click here to register to attend the webinar.
On Thursday, February 15, NH Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut brought forth his initial proposal of the minimum standards, which have been mired in controversy and a lack of transparency since the overhaul process began in 2020. Despite public outcry and recommendations, Edelblut’s proposal doubles down on the most controversial changes, according to RHNH’s initial analysis of the proposal.
The State Board of Education is expected to hold a public hearing on April 3 on the proposed overhaul. RHNH will share more details as they become available.
Important updates on education bills we are following
Things are moving quickly, and it can be hard to keep a pulse on what’s happening. Here are updates on some of the most critical issues in education policy this year:
School Funding: The House, in the aftermath of a Superior Court ruling that determined that the state is underfunding public schools by more than $500 million per year, still has several bills active in their queue:
- HB 1583, which was amended to restore two key sources of state funding for high-need school districts in 2025, and would slightly increase the per-student state funding allocation in 2026. The bill would restore $66 million per year in fiscal capacity disparity aid and relief aid to districts with high concentrations of students navigating poverty, and low property valuations. The original version of the bill would have increased state funding per pupil to $10,000, more than double the current allocation of $4,100 this year. The average cost per student in New Hampshire is about $20,000, meaning that the state downshifts the overwhelming majority of education costs onto local property taxpayers. HB 1583 already passed the House once, and the House Finance Committee is scheduled to have a work session on the bill on March 15. Download RHNH’s full town-by-town analysis here.
- HB 1514, which would require the Department of Revenue Administration to collect the excess state education tax (SWEPT) that certain communities accrue. The House Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on a recommendation for HB 1514 on March 11.
School Vouchers: Lawmakers are considering both school voucher expansion and creating provisions for accountability into the program. While universal school voucher expansion has failed this session, there are two voucher expansion bills that remain in the Senate:
- HB 1665 expands income eligibility to approximately 66% of NH families and could triple the cost of the program. It passed the House along partisan lines last month and is expected to be referred to the Senate in the coming weeks.
- SB 442 expands voucher eligibility to students whose enrollment transfer request was denied by their local school board and the State Board of Education. It passed the Senate along party lines and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee; if passed, it will be referred to the House.
Lawmakers are also considering guardrails for the statewide school voucher program:
- HB 1512 would limit the voucher program to budgeted amounts (this year, it’s already $4 million over budget). House vote: Thursday, March 14
- HB 1594 would require the voucher program administrator to recertify student eligibility every year. House vote: Thursday, March 14
- HB 1592, would prohibit school vouchers from being used for religious schools or religious education. House Education Committee executive session: Monday, March 18
- HB 1610, would require school voucher participants to take the statewide assessment. Currently, the majority of students complete a “portfolio of work,” but the public has called for more accountability on student outcomes since the program was implemented in 2021. House Education Committee executive session: Monday, March 18
- HB 1654, would require education service providers in the school voucher program to adopt and implement anti-discrimination policies. House Education Committee executive session: Monday, March 18
Read more here: Lawmakers face dueling priorities: Expanding school vouchers or restoring funding for public schools?
NHED Subpoena Bill: HB 1353, which gives the NH Education Commissioner the power to subpoena teachers for materials “and other things” and would allow the Department and Commissioner to investigate allegations of teacher misconduct directly, is in the House Judiciary Committee. The committee couldn’t agree on the bill, so the full House will vote on it without recommendation in the coming weeks. A floor date hasn’t been set yet.
Uncertified Part-Time Teacher Bill: The House Education Committee is scheduled to vote on a recommendation for HB 1298, the Uncertified Part-Time Teacher Bill, on Monday, March 18, 2024. This bill would allow individuals to teach in public schools without a teaching license or credential if they work less than 30 hours per week.
Read more here: Teacher Certification and Student Outcomes: What the Research Says
This week: House Education Committee to focus on cooperative school district bills
Monday, March 11, House Education is holding a hearing for a non-germane Amendment 2024-0856h for House Bill 1015 relative to requirements for literacy skill development in elementary grades. After the Hearing in the morning, the bill is scheduled for an executive session at 1:00 pm.
On Monday, March 11, and Wednesday, March 13, the House Education Committee is holding work sessions and then is scheduled to vote on recommendations for several bills that would change laws for cooperative school districts:
- HB1195 relative to allowing school districts to approve different apportionment methods for school administrative unit costs.
- HB1383 relative to cooperative school board district elections.
- HB1481 relative to appointments to fill vacancies to at large cooperative school board seats.
- HB1493 relative to the powers and duties of cooperative school district budget committees.
- HB1579relative to the merging of school administrative units.
- HB1642 relative to the role of cooperative school district board member representatives on school district budget committees.
On Monday, March 11, the committee will meet at 10:00 a.m. to discuss the Co-Op bills on their docket in depth. On Wednesday, March 13, at 10:00 a.m. has a scheduled executive session and plans to vote on recommendations for these six bills.
NH State Board of Education scheduled for Thursday
On Thursday, March 14, the State Board of Education is scheduled to have its monthly meeting. This month the State Board of Education meeting is being held at the Academy for Science and Design, located at 9 Townsend West, Nashua, NH 03063. There will be no in-person public comment, and listening and/or viewing the meeting virtually may not be available.
Upcoming Calendar
Monday, March 11, 2024
House Education, Legislative Office Building, Room 205-207
Hearing starting at 9:00 am
- HB1015 relative to requirements for literacy skill development in elementary grades.
Public Hearings on Cooperative School District Bills starting at 10:00 am
- HB1195 relative to allowing school districts to approve different apportionment methods for school administrative unit costs.
- HB1383 relative to cooperative school board district elections.
- HB1481 relative to appointments to fill vacancies to at large cooperative school board seats.
- HB1493 relative to the powers and duties of cooperative school district budget committees.
- HB1579relative to the merging of school administrative units.
- HB1642 relative to the role of cooperative school district board member representatives on school district budget committees.
Executive Session starting at 1:00 pm
- HB1015 relative to requirements for literacy skill development in elementary grades.
- HB1087 establishing a commission to study information literacy and media literacy instruction in public schools.
- HB1287 relative to the definition of the term “evidence-based” within public education.
- HB1418 relative to the use of education freedom account funds to purchase school uniforms.
- HB1450 relative to establishing a commission on higher education consolidation.
- HB1453 relative to degree granting authority of certain institutions of higher education.
- HB1458relative to authorizing parents to remove children from the English Language Learner Program.
- HB1646 relative to chartered public schools.
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Local Voting Day –The House of Representatives is taking the day off
Senate Education, Legislative Office Building, Room 101
Public Hearings
- 9:00 AM HB354 relative to chartered public school eligibility for state school building aid.
- 9:15 AM HB1008 relative to the authority of the commissioner of the department of education to grant extensions for the filing of school expenditure reports.
- 9:30 AM HB1009 relative to the submission of annual town reports to the commissioner of the department of education.
- 9:45 AM HB1019 relative to the interstate compact on educational opportunity for military children.
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
House Education, Legislative Office Building, Room 205-207
Executive Session starting at 10:00 am
- HB1195 relative to allowing school districts to approve different apportionment methods for school administrative unit costs.
- HB1383 relative to cooperative school board district elections.
- HB1481 relative to appointments to fill vacancies to at large cooperative school board seats.
- HB1493 relative to the powers and duties of cooperative school district budget committees.
- HB1579relative to the merging of school administrative units.
- HB1642 relative to the role of cooperative school district board member representatives on school district budget committees.
Thursday, March 14, 2024
State Board of Education
Starting at 10:00 am
House Session
Starting at 10:00 am
