Latest news with #NewHampshireDepartmentofEducation
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
New Hampshire extends ‘education freedom account' eligibility to all students, regardless of income
Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up With this policy change, state-level spending on EFAs is projected to climb from Advertisement Ayotte said these numbers represent a fiscally responsible approach to a core commitment. 'As a mom, I can't think of anything more important than making sure that every child in this state has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential in the setting that works best for them in terms of education, and that's really what this bill does,' she said. Advertisement Ayotte was joined at a bill-signing ceremony by outgoing Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut, lawmakers who supported the EFA expansion, and a cadre of children. The bill's prime sponsor, Republican Senator Victoria L. Sullivan of Manchester, said the legislation will help Although other states in New England have school-choice programs, New Hampshire's policies already ranked highest in the region in terms of ' With its latest move, New Hampshire has 'set a new benchmark for what educational freedom should look like,' Robert Enlow, president and CEO of Until now, the EFA program had allowed those earning up to 350 percent of the federal poverty level (about $112,500 for a family of four) to take money the state would have contributed toward the cost of their public education and instead spend it on private school or certain other educational expenses. Since the state contributes The actual financial impacts will depend in large part on which newly eligible students opt to participate. A student who uses EFA money to transfer from a public charter school to a private school, for example, could save the state about $5,100 per year, but a student who uses the money to continue attending a private school where they were already enrolled could cost the state an additional $4,400 per year, according to legislation's fiscal impact statement. Advertisement In 2021, when lawmakers first considered establishing the EFA program, the New Hampshire Department of Education estimated that What's more, critics have noted that a public school's overhead costs do not necessarily decrease at a rate proportional to the number of local students who opt to use EFA money elsewhere. Megan Tuttle, president of National Education Association in New Hampshire, said the EFA expansion 'will exacerbate the already inequitable public education funding system in New Hampshire.' Deb Howes, president of American Federation of Teachers in New Hampshire, said the state is 'underfunding' public schools, so it's 'appalling' that the EFA expansion will extend subsidies to families who can already afford to pay for the education of their choosing. 'That is the one priority they're going to fund in the budget, while Democratic Representative David Luneau of Hopkinton said spending on the EFA program could balloon more than the budgeters have projected. 'We're potentially looking at north of $100 million once this program is fully phased in over the next few years,' he said, calling the program 'an unaccountable and Advertisement The legislation that Ayotte signed into law includes a circuit-breaker provision to limit how rapidly the EFA program can expand. No more than 10,000 students will be allowed to participate for the 2025-2026 school year. If more than 9,000 students apply, then the cap will increase to 12,500 students in the following school year. (Whenever the number of EFA applicants exceeds 90 percent of the maximum, the cap will increase by 25 percent in the following school year.) Once the number of applications remains below the cap for two consecutive school years, the cap will disappear. There are currently about The state's EFA program is administered by the Steven Porter can be reached at
Boston Globe
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Ayotte to replace New Hampshire's top education official
Ayotte, a fellow proponent of school choice who took office in January, said Edelblut deserves credit for spending the past eight years making New Hampshire schools 'more innovative and forward-thinking.' She also praised his focus on expanding the variety of educational opportunities available to families in the state. Advertisement 'My office will launch a search for our next Education Commissioner who will build on this momentum and further our goal of improving our standards and academic performance, supporting our incredible teachers, and delivering a best-in-class education for every child in New Hampshire,' Ayotte said in a statement. Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up Edelblut, 63, said in the same statement that he will leave the New Hampshire Department of Education in a good spot, touting his work to support not only traditional public education but also public charter schools, private schools, home education, 'microschools,' and the state's 'With a strong educational foundation already in place, our state is well-positioned for continued growth,' he said. 'I am deeply grateful to my colleagues across New Hampshire and the nation who have joined me in expanding pathways to education and advancing learner-centered opportunities.' Edelblut, a businessman, was first appointed as education commissioner in 2017 by Governor Christopher T. Sununu, who had just beaten him by less than 1 percentage point in the GOP's 2016 gubernatorial primary. Edelblut, who was reappointed in 2021, will stay on through the remainder of the school year 'in holdover status,' Ayotte's office said. Advertisement Edelblut was routinely criticized by Democrats, who argue the Education Freedom Account program inappropriately diverts taxpayer money away from the state's public schools. Edelblut, whose own seven children were homeschooled, has also faced criticism for some of the ways he speaks to and about public school teachers and their handling of sensitive topics, particularly those pertaining to race and sexuality. In 2021, Edelblut delivered a speech to what Sununu called a 'fringe group' with a history of supporting 'anti-government actions.' Sununu said it was ' In 2022, Edelblut published In 2023, Edelblut successfully lobbied the state Board of Education to In 2024, Edelblut published Advertisement Although he opted not to run for governor again in the 2024 cycle, Edelblut spoke at the campaign kickoff event for former New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse, who lost to Ayotte in the GOP primary. Steven Porter can be reached at
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Hampshire teenagers challenge Trump's ban on transgender girls in girls' sports
On Aug. 27, 2024, attorney Chris Erchull, center, speaks in front of the U.S. District Court of New Hampshire after a federal judge moved to extend an order allowing Parker Tirrell, right, a transgender teenager, to continue playing on her high school girls soccer team. (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin) Two New Hampshire teenagers who have sued the state over a law excluding transgender girls from girls' sports are now taking on the Trump administration. Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle filed a federal lawsuit in August 2024 to overturn a state law that bars transgender girls who were biologically male at birth from participating in middle school and high school girls sports teams. On Wednesday, lawyers for the teenagers requested to expand that lawsuit to also target President Donald Trump's Feb. 5 executive order to block federal funding to schools that allow transgender girls on girls' sports teams. The judge in the case, Landya McCafferty, accepted that request Wednesday. The new lawsuit lists Trump and top federal officials as defendants in addition to New Hampshire Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut and the New Hampshire State Board of Education. The move, made via a 'motion for leave to file' in the U.S. District Court of New Hampshire in Concord, is the first time Trump's executive order has been challenged in federal court. And it comes after McCafferty already ruled to temporarily block the state law from taking effect against Tirrell and Turmelle while the case is heard. Lawyers for the teenagers, who include GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders and the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, argue the president's executive order violates equal protection rights for transgender students in the Fifth Amendment as well as the federal Title IX law. They are also asking the court to block a Jan. 20 order by Trump titled 'Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government' that instructed federal departments to remove references to gender identity in their policies and redefined the Title IX gender anti-discrimination protections to only apply to people's sex at birth. Tirrell, a Plymouth High School 10th grader, is a member of the girls' soccer team, while Turmelle, a ninth grader at Pembroke Academy, is interested in joining that school's girls' tennis and track teams, according to an updated filing. McCafferty's temporary injunction in August blocked the state law, House Bill 1205, from taking effect against Turmelle and Tirrell but no others in the state. That allowed the two to continue participating, but means middle and high schools must continue applying the law to other students. Still, lawyers for the two students argue Trump's executive orders are 'in direct contradiction' to the New Hampshire federal court's order and could also result in their exclusion from sports. 'The sweeping National Sports Ban intentionally discriminates against transgender people, and is part of a systematic effort by Defendant President Trump and his administration to harm transgender people and prevent them from functioning in society,' the amended lawsuit reads. In defending the law, the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office has said it is not unconstitutional, that it is intended to protect women's rights by blocking transgender girls who might have physical advantages, and that Tirrell's and Turmelle's exclusion from girls' sports would not result in 'irreparable harm.' While McCafferty has accepted the plaintiff's motion to amend their lawsuit, plaintiffs are still waiting for her to issue summonses to the new defendants, Chris Erchull, a staff attorney for GLAD, said Wednesday – a process that could take days. The defendants will also need to be served for the lawsuit to proceed, he said.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Red-state leaders applaud end of Department of Education - even though it could cost them millions
Leaders in red states are welcoming the idea of shutting down the Department of Education despite the fact that it might cost them millions, and in some cases billions, in federal funding. They're preparing plans for when the Trump administration brings about the removal of the department and are sharing their confidence that they will be able to step in and fill the void. President Donald Trump has been arguing for the removal of the agency for years, and he's now reported to be looking at taking executive action to gut the department while pushing lawmakers to conduct the final execution. Trump cannot remove the department without an act of the legislative branch. Education department heads in several states led by Republicans say that the possible move would bring opportunities to remove bureaucratic barriers regarding funding as well as cumbersome reporting requirements. Republican New Hampshire Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut told The Hill that the Trump White House is 'providing states greater control over the education of the children in their states.' He added that every state has 'different needs in order to serve our communities, to meet the educational objectives and needs of our children in our state.' 'We may have to do things differently,' he added. 'I think … the conversation around providing states greater control over education is a really important and a healthy one.' Similarly, Wyoming Republican State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder said Trump possibly going through with the removal of the department 'aligns with my belief that education policy should be returned to the states, allowing for more localized and effective decision-making.' 'I really anticipate having more flexibility to use federal funding to best meet the needs of Wyoming students and so without the red tape and bureaucracy from D.C., but receiving that funding in more of a block grant method,' she told The Hill. 'Then we can more effectively use those funds in ways that we know is going to work best in our state.' Following reports on Trump's plans to gut the department, Democrats were shut out of its headquarters as they demanded a meeting with the acting secretary. Trump's choice for education secretary, former WWE boss Linda McMahon, is set to appear for her confirmation hearing on Thursday. The federal Department of Education provides about 10 percent of K-12 school funding, and it also operates a number of programs working with the states. Democrats are concerned about Republican plans for the department, which may include cuts to programs such as Title 1, which works to improve disadvantaged schools, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, and its Office of Civil Rights. Meanwhile, Edelblut argued that Title 1 is not being used properly in New Hampshire and that the state would do a better job allocating those funds. Trump is reported to be looking at cutting education programs that are not written into law and significantly decreasing the number of staff at the department. North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice Green, a Democrat, told The Hill that 'A productive partnership with and continued funding from the federal government are essential for North Carolina's students and schools.' 'About $1.2 billion for North Carolina public schools comes from the U.S. Department of Education annually,' said Green. Most of that funding goes to Title 1 and IDEA efforts. 'The complete loss of this funding would be detrimental to students and result in the loss of thousands of educator jobs,' Green added.
The Independent
12-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Red-state leaders applaud end of Department of Education - even though it could cost them millions
Leaders in red states are welcoming the idea of shutting down the Department of Education despite the fact that it might cost them millions, and in some cases billions, in federal funding. They're preparing plans for when the Trump administration brings about the removal of the department and are sharing their confidence that they will be able to step in and fill the void. President Donald Trump has been arguing for the removal of the agency for years, and he's now reported to be looking at taking executive action to gut the department while pushing lawmakers to conduct the final execution. Trump cannot remove the department without an act of the legislative branch. Education department heads in several states led by Republicans say that the possible move would bring opportunities to remove bureaucratic barriers regarding funding as well as cumbersome reporting requirements. Republican New Hampshire Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut told The Hill that the Trump White House is 'providing states greater control over the education of the children in their states.' He added that every state has 'different needs in order to serve our communities, to meet the educational objectives and needs of our children in our state.' 'We may have to do things differently,' he added. 'I think … the conversation around providing states greater control over education is a really important and a healthy one.' Similarly, Wyoming Republican State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder said Trump possibly going through with the removal of the department 'aligns with my belief that education policy should be returned to the states, allowing for more localized and effective decision-making.' 'I really anticipate having more flexibility to use federal funding to best meet the needs of Wyoming students and so without the red tape and bureaucracy from D.C., but receiving that funding in more of a block grant method,' she told The Hill. 'Then we can more effectively use those funds in ways that we know is going to work best in our state.' Following reports on Trump's plans to gut the department, Democrats were shut out of its headquarters as they demanded a meeting with the acting secretary. Trump's choice for education secretary, former WWE boss Linda McMahon, is set to appear for her confirmation hearing on Thursday. The federal Department of Education provides about 10 percent of K-12 school funding, and it also operates a number of programs working with the states. Democrats are concerned about Republican plans for the department, which may include cuts to programs such as Title 1, which works to improve disadvantaged schools, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, and its Office of Civil Rights. Meanwhile, Edelblut argued that Title 1 is not being used properly in New Hampshire and that the state would do a better job allocating those funds. Trump is reported to be looking at cutting education programs that are not written into law and significantly decreasing the number of staff at the department. North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice Green, a Democrat, told The Hill that 'A productive partnership with and continued funding from the federal government are essential for North Carolina's students and schools.' 'About $1.2 billion for North Carolina public schools comes from the U.S. Department of Education annually,' said Green. Most of that funding goes to Title 1 and IDEA efforts. 'The complete loss of this funding would be detrimental to students and result in the loss of thousands of educator jobs,' Green added.
