Latest news with #NationalEducationAssociationofNewHampshire
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ayotte says two priority bills she signed back parental rights
Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed into law two of her signature priority bills Tuesday, a parental rights law to give them access to information about their children in schools and one allowing parents of any income level to receive a taxpayer-paid Education Freedom Account (EFA). Surrounded by legislators, education choice advocates and school children, Ayotte said the two bills put the state on the right course for education reform that emphasizes choice and promotes families. 'Giving parents the freedom to choose the education setting that best fits their child's needs will help every student in our state reach their full potential,' Ayotte said. 'I'm proud to sign this into law today along with the Parental Bill of Rights, which ensures parents are the central voice in their children's education. I thank the House and Senate for working to get these across the finish line.' But critics maintain that both bills harm the public school system. They contend the parental rights measures (HB 10 and SB 72) could make it harder for educators to report cases of suspected child abuse to authorities. They opposed the EFA legislation (SB 295) since this expansion is estimated to add another $17 million a year to a program that was already costing taxpayers $30 million annually. 'All students deserve a high-quality education and the support they need to thrive. Unfortunately, expanding the unaccountable voucher scheme will exacerbate the already inequitable public education funding system in New Hampshire,' said Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire. 'Limitless vouchers will take millions of dollars out of public schools to subsidize private school education for a few at the expense of nearly 90% of students who attend community public schools.' Outgoing Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut had been one of the leading advocates for EFAs, which were created in a 2021 state budget trailer bill that then-Gov. Chris Sununu signed into law. "New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account program has already transformed lives by giving families access to the educational pathways that best fit their children's needs,' Edelblut said. 'Expanding this opportunity through universal eligibility is a bold and forward-thinking move that reimagines what education can be, providing every student with the opportunity to reach their full potential and experience a bright future. We are proud to support this expansion and eager to see the lasting impact it will have on student success across our state.' Limiting EFA expansion was proposed The EFA law went far beyond what Ayotte had asked for from legislators four months ago. Currently, EFAs are limited to families making up to 350% of the federal poverty level or just over $100,000 a year for a family of four. The bill would eliminate that income eligibility limit while initially setting a cap on 10,000 EFAs given statewide. Currently, there are about 5,600 families that receive EFAs, averging about $5,100 a year. Ayotte had only wanted the expansion of EFAs to apply to families that have their children in public schools. According to surveys, more than 75% of those who have received EFAs already had their children enrolled in private schools. 'New Hampshire parents are grateful and relieved that more doors are finally open,' said Kate Baker Demers, executive director of the Children's Scholarship Fund, the nonprofit group that administers the EFA program for the state. 'They've known what their children needed — and now, thanks to this law, more families can access the freedom to choose what works best. This isn't about politics. It's about possibility.' Several leaders of education choice groups praised Ayotte's move on the EFA. "Gov. Ayotte knows that every young Granite Stater has unique needs to fulfil their education. Today, she ensured that every family is empowered with resources to find what works best for them,' said Nick Murray, public affairs manager for yes. every kid. 'We look forward to working with her administration to ensure New Hampshire's EFA program continues to serve families' needs in the best ways possible.' EdChoice President Robert Enlow said New Hampshire becomes the 19th state to offer these vouchers to all students. 'What New Hampshire has done isn't just expand eligibility — it's set a new benchmark for what educational freedom should look like,' Enlow continued. 'We're proud to support the Granite State in realizing the vision Milton Friedman outlined nearly 70 years ago — one in which every family has the freedom to choose, and every child has the opportunity to thrive.' State Sen. Victoria Sullivan, R-Manchester, sponsored the EFA bill that became law. House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson said a byproduct of the parental rights bill will be to target transgender students who will no longer be able to confide in 'one trusted adult' at school about their views about gender identity that their parents don't know about. "Today, Gov. Kelly Ayotte and State House Republicans turned our classrooms into political battlegrounds. They've passed a bill that forces teachers to out LGBTQ+ teens to potentially abusive parents and makes it harder for educators and DCYF to protect vulnerable kids who need help the most. They've made teachers' jobs a nightmare and put children at risk, all in the name of a hateful culture war. Nobody asked for this.' House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, was the prime author of the parental rights bill. 'By advancing education freedom and the Parental Bill of Rights, we've reaffirmed a simple truth: parents, not bureaucracies, should make decisions about their children's lives. This legislation gives families real choices and ensures their values are respected,' Packard added. klandrigan@
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State cap on local school spending sparks heated debate
Osborne: School spending cap would arrest 'runaway' local tax hikes Jason Osborne By Kevin Landrigan House Majority Leader Jason Osborne said the New Hampshire Property Tax Relief Act — a state cap on local school spending increases tucked into the proposed House budget — would rescue homeowners 'held hostage by runaway' tax hikes. Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire, said the cap 'ignores the will of the voters' since residents in 17 towns rejected per-pupil spending caps at town and school district meetings last month. The budget is up for a final vote today. (Thursday) While the issue has gotten much less attention in the budget than significant cuts to higher education, the arts, energy and human service programs, both sides agree the proposal, if adopted, could have the biggest impact on budgets at the local level. 'The Property Tax Protection Act is the heart of this budget,' House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, said in a recent statement that adjusted the bill's branding a bit. 'It will ensure municipalities stay fiscally responsible, curb runaway budgets, and protect Granite Staters from tax hikes — without cutting essential services.' If signed into law, the cap would limit school budget spending to the previous year, minus what's been spent on facility purchase and construction, times the five-year average of the U.S. Consumer Price Index. To go above that school spending cap would require a two-thirds vote of a city council or voters at town or school district meeting. Tuttle said all voters presented with this concept have rejected it. In March alone, school voters turned down such budget-cap warrant articles in Bedford, ConVal, Epping, Epsom, Greenland, Haverhill, Hollis, Salem, Thornton and Weare. 'As taxpayers, educators understand the frustration with the rise in property taxes — and we feel it, too,' Tuttle said. 'But putting arbitrary spending caps on our local school budgets is not the way to address a funding crisis created by the state's failure to fully fund an adequate education.' Critics point out the Legislature just last year adopted a bill allowing residents to propose caps on their school district budgets, which led to last month's votes. In January, Kearsarge Regional School District was one of the first to overwhelmingly reject a budget cap article and Osborne reacted to that news right away. 'Perhaps, if voters are unwilling to cap themselves, the state will step in and cap local taxes for them,' the Auburn Republican said on Jan. 5. The bill (HB 675) as introduced days later, deals with several property tax issues that got pared down to this school spending cap. 'For too long, New Hampshire homeowners have been held hostage by runaway property taxes driven by out-of-control local school and municipal budgets,' Osborne wrote in a recent Union Leader op-ed on the topic. 'Hardworking families who play by the rules, work hard, pay their taxes, and contribute to their communities should not be forced to bankroll unchecked spending by local officials.' Osborne said Democrats accuse Republicans of adopting policies that raise local property taxes, and this is a response. 'It pressures school budgets to stay within responsible limits, discouraging the never-ending tax hikes that make it harder for families to afford their homes. With the Property Tax Relief Act in place, local school budgets will be challenged to exercise fiscal discipline, ensuring that future generations don't have to bear the burden of today's overspending,' Osborne wrote. Backers note the cap can also be overridden in case of emergency by using an existing state law. Getting the proposal this far has been no easy task. Despite the House GOP majority, the bill faced a major scare last month when a Democrat's move to table it barely failed, 189-187. Then the bill narrowly won initial approval on a roll call vote, 190-185. Packard sent the bill to the House Finance Committee, which decided to retain the separate legislation until next year and instead tuck the proposal into the state budget's trailer bill (HB 2). Supporters believe having it in the trailer bill increases likelihood it could become part of a final budget compromise. Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she hadn't seen the details. 'I haven't studied the specifics of that. I certainly believe in local control, but I also think it is important that local officials protect taxpayers at the local level,' Ayotte said. Estimated cap: 4.1% The nonpartisan Reaching Higher NH is the only group to have done an analysis on its impact. It concludes the maximum budget increase for 2026, based on the five-year Consumer Price Index average increase, is 4.1%. According to this study, the relevant spending on schools minus facilities could go up by these amounts in some sample communities: • Manchester: $78.4 million this year to $81.6 million in 2026 and $84.9 million in 2027. • Nashua: $54.8 million to $57.1 million in 2026 and $59.4 million in 2027. • Bedford: $55.2 million to $57.5 million in 2026 and $59.9 million in 2027. • Londonderry: $62.8 million to $65.4 million in 2026 and $68 million in 2027. • Rochester: $35.4 million to $36.8 million in 2026 and $38.3 million in 2027. • Salem: $49.7 million to $51.8 million in 2026 and $53.9 million in 2027. But the Reaching Higher NH report warns of a bleaker picture. 'The mandated budget cap would actually reduce funding for most school districts, even before accounting for inflation, over the next five years,' it concluded. Critics warn school spending cap would lock in inequities David Luneau Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, the ranking Democrat on the House Education Funding Committee, said the proposal would perpetuate inequities between property-rich and property-poor towns. 'Great for Waterville Valley spending $36K per student; not so good for Manchester. It's bad for kids and locks in opportunity gaps,' Luneau said. Rep. Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, said while public school enrollment has dropped 11% in the past 30 years, the number of school staff has increased 55%. Spending per pupil in the last decade has gone up 58% over the past decade, topping the 35% inflation rate over the period, McGuire said. Rep. Hope Damon, D-Sunapee, said a spending cap would only be fair if the state wasn't near the bottom in state support for its public schools. 'There may be merit to a cap on school district budgets in the future — but certainly not before we have equitable funding from the state to municipalities so that a student's ZIP Code doesn't determine the adequacy of their education resources,' Damon added. Katherine Blume of Weare supported the idea in her written testimony. 'Everyone is concerned what will happen to their school district if it's the only one around with a budget cap. This bill levels the playing field,' Blume said. Christine Hodsdon of Exeter had the opposite view. 'This kind of extreme legislation is anti-democratic, anti-public education, anti-student and will hurt the nearly 90% of students in New Hampshire who attend their local public school,' Hodsdon added. klandrigan@
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local school spending cap sparks heated debate
Osborne: School spending cap would arrest 'runaway' local tax hikes House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Salem, is a prominent supporter of the New Hampshire Property Tax Relief Act that if adopted would impose a cap on school spending at the local level. House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, said the New Hampshire Property Tax Relief Act — a cap on local school spending increases — tucked into the proposed House budget up for a final vote Thursday would rescue homeowners 'held hostage by runaway' hikes. Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire, said the cap 'ignores the will of the voters' since residents in 17 towns have rejected per pupil spending caps at town and school district meetings last month. While the issue has gotten much less attention in the budget than significant cuts to higher education, the arts, energy and human service programs, both sides agree the proposal, if adopted, could have the most impact on budgets at the local level. 'The Property Tax Protection Act is the heart of this budget,' House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, said in a recent statement that adjusted the branding a bit. 'It will ensure municipalities stay fiscally responsible, curb runaway budgets, and protect Granite Staters from tax hikes — without cutting essential services.' If signed into law, the cap would limit school budget spending to the previous year, minus what's been spent on facility purchase and construction, times the previous, five-year average of the U.S. Consumer Price Index. To go above that school spending cap would require a two-thirds vote of a city council or voters at a town or school district meeting. Tuttle said all voters in communities given this concept have rejected it. In March alone, voters turned down these warrant articles in Bedford, ConVal, Epping, Epsom, Greenland, Haverhill, Hollis, Salem, Thornton and Weare. "As taxpayers, educators understand the frustration with the rise in property taxes — and we feel it, too," Tuttle said. "But putting arbitrary spending caps on our local school budgets is not the way to address a funding crisis created by the state's failure to fully fund an adequate education." Keeping idea alive hasn't been easy Critics of this new idea point out the Legislature just last year adopted a bill from Sen. Keith Murphy, R-Manchester, allowing citizens to seek a budget cap by school districts (SB 383) which led to these votes in opposition to the idea. Kearsarge Regional School District last January was one of the first to overwhelmingly reject an article and Osborne reacted to that news right away. 'Perhaps, if voters are unwilling to cap themselves, the state will step in and cap local taxes for them,' Osborne said on Jan. 5. The bill (HB 675) as introduced days later, deals with several property tax issues that got pared down to this school spending cap. 'For too long, New Hampshire homeowners have been held hostage by runaway property taxes driven by out-of-control local school and municipal budgets,' Osborne wrote in a recent Union Leader op-ed on the topic. 'Hardworking families who play by the rules, work hard, pay their taxes, and contribute to their communities should not be forced to bankroll unchecked spending by local officials.' Osborne said Democrats charge Republicans with adopting policies that raise local property taxes and this is the response. 'It pressures school budgets to stay within responsible limits, discouraging the never-ending tax hikes that make it harder for families to afford their homes. With the Property Tax Relief Act in place, local school budgets will be challenged to exercise fiscal discipline, ensuring that future generations don't have to bear the burden of today's overspending,' Osborne said. Backers note the cap can also be overridden in case of emergency by using an existing state law for this unforeseen purpose. Getting the concept this far has been no easy matter. Despite the House GOP majority, the bill faced a bigtime scare last month when a Democrat's move to table it barely failed, 189-187. Then a rollcall vote to initially approve it squeaked through, 190-185. Packard sent the bill to the House Finance Committee that decided to retain the separate legislation until next year and instead tuck it into the trailer bill to the state budget (HB 2). Supporters believe this increases likelihood it could become part of a final budget compromise. Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she hadn't seen the details. 'I haven't studied the specifics of that. I certainly believe in local control, but I also think it is important that local officials protect taxpayers at the local level,' Ayotte said. The non-partisan, Reaching Higher N.H. is the only group to have done an analysis on its impact. It concludes the CPI average for 2026 regarding school spending could increase by 4.1% Cap supporters: School enrollment down, spending way up According to this group, the relevant spending on schools minus facilities could go up by these amounts in some sample communities: • Manchester: $78.4 million this year to $81.6 million in 2026 and $84.9 million in 2027. • Nashua: $54.8 million to $57.1 million in 2026 and $59.4 million in 2027. • Bedford: $55.2 million to $57.5 million in 2026 and $59.9 million in 2027. • Londonderry: $62.8 million to $65.4 million in 2026 and $68 million in 2027. • Rochester: $35.4 million to $36.8 million in 2026 and $38.3 million in 2027. • Salem: $49.7 million to $51.8 million in 2026 and $53.9 million in 2027. But its own report warns of a bleaker picture. 'The mandated budget cap would actually reduce funding for most school districts, even before accounting for inflation, over the next five years,' Reaching Higher N.H. concluded. Critics warn school spending cap would lock in inequities State Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, said if adopted a school spending cap would be cement the wide disparity between the ability to support public education in property poor and rich towns. Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton and the ranking Democrat on the House Education Funding Committee, said the proposal would cement the inequities between the property-rich and property-poor towns. 'Great for Waterville Valley spending $36K per student; not so good for Manchester. It's bad for kids and locks in opportunity gaps,' Luneau said. Rep. Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, said while public school enrollment has dropped 11% in the past 30 years, the number of school staff has increased 55%. Spending per pupil in the last decade has gone up 58% over the past decade, topping the 35% inflation rate over the period, McGuire said. Rep. Hope Damon, D-Sunapee, said a spending cap would only be fair if the state wasn't near the bottom in state support for its public schools. 'There may be merit to a cap on school district budgets in the future – but certainly not before we have equitable funding from the state to municipalities so that a student's zip code doesn't determine the adequacy of their education resources,' Damon added. Katherine Blume of Weare supported the idea in her written testimony. 'Everyone is concerned what will happen to their school district if it's the only one around with a budget cap. This bill levels the playing field,' Blume said. Christine Hodsdon of Exeter had the opposite view. 'This kind of extreme legislation is anti-democratic, anti-public education, anti-student and will hurt the nearly 90% of students in New Hampshire who attend their local public school,' Hodsdon added. klandrigan@
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Hampshire's high ‘National Report Card' scores hailed as good news post-pandemic
The numbers show New Hampshire is an outlier compared to the rest of the country; nationwide, scores fell on average. (Photo by Dave Cummings/New Hampshire Bulletin) New Hampshire is in the top 10% of states when it comes to fourth-grade and eighth-grade reading, according to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress report, released Wednesday. And the Granite State is in the top 12% for fourth-grade and eighth-grade math scores, the same report says. The numbers show New Hampshire is an outlier compared to the rest of the country; nationwide, scores fell on average. And they indicated the state has made some gains since a year of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic drove down test scores. But despite the positive signs, Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said the test scores show there is still room for improvement. 'While we like the direction the scores are heading, especially since New Hampshire has been able to buck the national trends, we would still like to see bigger gains across the board,' Edelblut said in a statement. 'What might not be readily apparent is that our higher performing students are making gains while our disadvantaged or low performing students continue to lose ground and are not recovering as quickly. We must work to close that gap for the benefit of all students.' The results showed that in 2024, math scores for New Hampshire fourth graders were 242, up from 239 in 2022, and for eighth graders were 280, up from 279 in 2022 Eighth-grade reading scores in New Hampshire increased from 263 in 2022 to 264 in 2024, while they decreased for fourth graders from 223 in 2022 to 221 in 2024, All of the scores outperformed the national average. To Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire, the state's largest teachers union, the numbers are indicative of the effort schools and teachers have put in to close learning gaps during the pandemic. 'That's a huge testament to the hard work of the New Hampshire educators, of the students, obviously, and all the families that are doing what they've always done, you know, despite all the challenges we're facing,' she said. But Tuttle said some of that work was made easier by federal COVID-19 grant money, particularly the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The funding allowed schools to modernize some technology, pay for math and reading specialists, and invest in emotional and mental health support for students. The last of that money was distributed in September 2024; it is likely to be all used up by the end of the school year. That will put a new burden on school districts to continue improvements, Tuttle warned. She argues lawmakers should increase state funds to public schools to compensate. 'The funds definitely helped during the pandemic,' she said. 'And I'm not saying you throw money at the problem and it goes away, but having those extra funds was helping to support some of those programs. … So now the state really needs to figure out, what are they going to do about that?'
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Hampshire's high ‘National Report Card' scores hailed as good news post-pandemic
The numbers show New Hampshire is an outlier compared to the rest of the country; nationwide, scores fell on average. (Photo by Dave Cummings/New Hampshire Bulletin) New Hampshire is in the top 10% of states when it comes to fourth-grade and eighth-grade reading, according to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress report, released Wednesday. And the Granite State is in the top 12% for fourth-grade and eighth-grade math scores, the same report says. The numbers show New Hampshire is an outlier compared to the rest of the country; nationwide, scores fell on average. And they indicated the state has made some gains since a year of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic drove down test scores. But despite the positive signs, Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said the test scores show there is still room for improvement. 'While we like the direction the scores are heading, especially since New Hampshire has been able to buck the national trends, we would still like to see bigger gains across the board,' Edelblut said in a statement. 'What might not be readily apparent is that our higher performing students are making gains while our disadvantaged or low performing students continue to lose ground and are not recovering as quickly. We must work to close that gap for the benefit of all students.' The results showed that in 2024, math scores for New Hampshire fourth graders were 242, up from 239 in 2022, and for eighth graders were 280, up from 279 in 2022 Eighth-grade reading scores in New Hampshire increased from 263 in 2022 to 264 in 2024, while they decreased for fourth graders from 223 in 2022 to 221 in 2024, All of the scores outperformed the national average. To Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire, the state's largest teachers union, the numbers are indicative of the effort schools and teachers have put in to close learning gaps during the pandemic. 'That's a huge testament to the hard work of the New Hampshire educators, of the students, obviously, and all the families that are doing what they've always done, you know, despite all the challenges we're facing,' she said. But Tuttle said some of that work was made easier by federal COVID-19 grant money, particularly the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The funding allowed schools to modernize some technology, pay for math and reading specialists, and invest in emotional and mental health support for students. The last of that money was distributed in September 2024; it is likely to be all used up by the end of the school year. That will put a new burden on school districts to continue improvements, Tuttle warned. She argues lawmakers should increase state funds to public schools to compensate. 'The funds definitely helped during the pandemic,' she said. 'And I'm not saying you throw money at the problem and it goes away, but having those extra funds was helping to support some of those programs. … So now the state really needs to figure out, what are they going to do about that?'
