New Hampshire

NH Democrats consider new school funding approaches, with differing opinions

Published

2 years ago

January 13, 2024

NH Democrats consider new school funding approaches, with differing opinions

Ethan DeWitt
| New Hampshire Bulletin

House Democrats are advocating for an ambitious bill to change how New Hampshire funds its schools. But not all school funding advocates are supporting it.

Sponsored by Rep. Dave Luneau, a Hopkinton Democrat, House Bill 1586 proposes allocating state money to send to schools based on the goal of boosting the school’s academic performance. The bill would direct the state to determine a “statewide public education opportunity goal” – an overall performance target that all schools in the state would need to collectively meet. Funding would then be given to each school based on what the state determines is needed in order for the school to meet that goal.

The complex, 26-page bill echoes previous efforts by Luneau and stems from the conclusions of a 2020 state commission designed to examine New Hampshire’s school funding approach. That commission found that if schools are funded with an aim to boost their outputs, more students will succeed across the state.

“Our average performing student in New Hampshire performs among the best in the country, but … it’s just not happening in all of our school districts,” he said. “And that’s where right-sizing these budgets really can come in to make sure districts have the budgets they need to be able to to educate their students to a statewide outcome.”

Currently, the state uses a multi-tiered approach that starts with the statewide property tax; if school districts can’t raise enough money through that tax to pay for their schools, they receive per-pupil adequacy funding from the state; and if that adequacy funding is still not enough, the towns make up the difference with more property taxes. State funding is distributed based in part on property values and demographics, such as the number of free and reduced-price lunch students in the district.

Luneau’s bill would change that approach by allocating money based on what each district needs to raise its performance.

The approach would use three outputs to determine which schools are neediest: assessment scores, graduation rates, and attendance rates, according to the bill. Then, to determine how much money each school would need, the Legislature would project the total spending that school would require “to achieve the statewide public education opportunity goal.” Those funding amounts would vary by school district depending on factors including geographical salary differences, student needs, district size, and population density.

To keep the price tag down the bill uses targeted aid; Luneau said no new state revenue streams are needed to make it work.

The bill is co-sponsored by Democrats including Reps. Mel Myler, the former chairman of the House Education Committee, and Richard Ames, the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

But one longtime advocate, Andru Volinsky, is opposed. Volinsky, a former executive councilor who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2020, was an attorney for the plaintiffs in the two Claremont lawsuits, in which the New Hampshire Supreme Court first set a mandate for the state to fund an adequate education.

“Although I respect the sponsors of this bill, their position to me is heartbreaking, because I think the bill violates the New Hampshire Constitution, as it was described and explained in the Claremont and Londonderry decisions,” said Volinsky, referring to a 2008 Supreme Court decision that followed the Claremont rulings.

Volinsky argues the approach does not adhere to the Supreme Court’s conclusions in the Claremont II case, in which the court laid out a series of requirements for school funding. The state must clearly define an “adequate education”; must determine the cost of funding it; must use state funding to do so; must not shift the cost of that adequate education to cities or towns; must apply any tax in a uniform way; and must establish accountability.

To Volinsky, the bill fails the first test, defining an adequate education, because it does not specify what must be funded in order for each school to meet its output target. That lack of clarity, he argued, means the Legislature could not have a reliable metric to keep its funding model on track.

“It tells you the scores that must be achieved without identifying the components in those successful schools that make them successful,” he said. “And so without identifying the components, you can’t fairly and objectively cost out adequacy.”

The House Education Committee dove deeper into Luneau’s bill Thursday in a subcommittee work session.

The bill comes as other state Democrats have proposed sweeping funding bills to respond to a superior court ruling in November that found that the state is funding schools at too low a level and should provide at least $7,360.01 per student.

Other Democratic-led bills heard Wednesday were House Bill 1583, which would raise the base adequacy amount per student from $4,100 to $10,000, and House Bill 1686, which would dramatically increase the amount of state aid that goes to schools for children who need special education – from $2,100 per student to $27,000 per student. Both bills would require major increases to the state’s Education Trust Fund, which currently spends about $1 billion per year on school funding.

Senate Republicans have already thrown water on any attempts to dramatically transform the amount New Hampshire funds its schools this year. At a press conference to kick off the new year, Senate President Jeb Bradley, a Wolfeboro Republican, dismissed the Rockingham County Superior Court ruling as judicial overreach and said his caucus would not pass additional funding legislation and would await a final Supreme Court ruling.

“It would lead us to an income tax if we continue with differentiated aid,” Bradley said, speaking of the judge’s order. “We have met our responsibility to help towns, help schools, help counties, lower property taxes, and we’ll continue to do that. But the only way we do it is by generating the kind of surpluses that come from a strong economy.”

This story was originally published by the New Hampshire Bulletin

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New Hampshire

New Hampshire woman arrested after high-speed chase ends in crash

Published

11 hours ago

December 15, 2025

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New Hampshire woman arrested after high-speed chase ends in crash

DOVER, New Hampshire (WGME) — A New Hampshire woman is facing charges after reportedly speeding more than 100 miles per hour during a police chase.

New Hampshire State Police say it happened Saturday night on Route 16 in Dover.

Troopers say they tried to pull over the driver, Stephanie Dupont, but she took off at high speed.

Troopers say they followed her to Exit 3, where she veered off the road.

After the crash, they say she jumped out of the car and tried to flee on foot.

An off-duty officer from Ogunquit happened to be near by and was able to stop her.

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Officials say Dupont suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.

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New Hampshire

Judge strikes down challenge to NH absentee voting law

Published

23 hours ago

December 14, 2025

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Judge strikes down challenge to NH absentee voting law

A superior court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of visually impaired New Hampshire voters who argued a newly passed absentee voter law violates the state constitution.

In a lawsuit filed this summer, the plaintiffs alleged the measure, which was backed by state Republicans, places a disproportionate burden on people with disabilities by making it harder to vote.

On Friday, New Hampshire Superior Court Judge David Ruoff dismissed the case, ruling that the new policies are reasonable.

The new law requires people requesting an absentee ballot to prove their identity in one of three ways: either mail in a photocopy of an ID, along with their ballot application; have their ballot application notarized; or show an ID at town hall prior to an election.

In his opinion, Ruoff said, “The identification requirements impose ordinary burdens on all absentee voters, and the possibility that it may cause additional burden on a subset of absentee voters does not render the entire statute unconstitutional.”

It isn’t clear if the plaintiffs will appeal the ruling to the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

“We appreciate the Court’s recognition that the identification requirements for absentee voters are reasonable, constitutional, and consistent with New Hampshire’s long-standing election practices,” said New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, who defended the law in court.

New Hampshire residents who vote in person are already required to show an ID at the polls when requesting a ballot. Supporters of the new law say the same safeguards should be in place for those voters who request an absentee ballot.

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New Hampshire

Reduced federal funds to boost broadband in New Hampshire – Valley News

Published

1 day ago

December 14, 2025

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Reduced federal funds to boost broadband in New Hampshire – Valley News

Despite some angst that the Trump Administration might vaporize the money, funds are coming to New Hampshire to expand broadband internet access throughout the state, although the amount isn’t what was originally allocated.

The recently announced funding is $18.6 million, significantly less than the original $196.5 million.

The news was, nevertheless, greeted with bipartisan enthusiasm.

“New Hampshire is proud to be No. 1 in the nation for internet connectivity, and this new federal funding we have secured will help us reach our goal of delivering reliable broadband access to everyone in our state,” Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte said in a statement.

“Having worked on the broadband provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure law, I know how important internet connectivity is for small businesses to grow and compete, for students to learn and thrive and for those in remote areas to access health care,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

The broadband funding is $18.6 million. It comes from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD), part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, bipartisan legislation passed and enacted during the President Joe Biden administration.

Originally, the state was slated to get $196.5 million from BEAD for 9,527 locations across the state, especially in rural areas where access to broadband internet can be difficult because of distance, terrain and lack of infrastructure.

With the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House, given his disdain for the Infrastructure Act, he signed an executive order that paused a disbursement of all funds related to the bill, pending a review by his new administration.

Subsequent policy changes from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, worried the state’s Democratic congressional delegation that the changes could derail the disbursement of the state’s $191 million in BEAD funds.

“The administration has now removed discretion from state and local communities, instead requiring that BEAD funds be allocated solely to the lowest-cost projects — even if those projects deliver extremely low-quality internet service to rural areas. This change is especially harmful to rural Granite Staters, who may now be limited to slow, weather-dependent internet,” the delegation wrote in August to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.

And, indeed, the changes meant that the $191 million originally slated for the Granite State had been trimmed to the newly announced $18.6 million, reducing the new broadband locations from 9,527 to 5,250.

The Trump Administration saw the policy changes as a means to distribute the money in a more cost-effective manner. That was recognized by the administration with the completion of the state’s application process for the funds.

“Congratulations to New Hampshire for getting their BEAD Final Proposal over the finish line,” said U.S. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth. “The state’s commitment to cutting excessive costs and technology diversity resulted in a strong deployment plan that will achieve universal connectivity across the Granite State.” Roth’s statement was provided by the governor’s office.

The state’s approved plan accelerates the timeline for implementation, with the hope that the state will be fully broadband wired by the end of next year.

The state’s proposal for upgrades includes a mix of coax, fiber, and satellite connections provided by Comcast, Consolidated Communications, New Hampshire Electric Co-op, and SpaceX.

Contracts for the work still have to be approved by the governor’s Executive Council.

Congressional Democrats at least seem happy that they got what they could get. And everyone seems to be putting a happy face on the news of the reduced funding.

“Everyone deserves access to high-speed, reliable internet no matter where they live,” said U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan. “I worked with my colleagues to negotiate and pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to help expand access to reliable internet, and am glad to see our state one step closer to ensuring that everyone has access to broadband. I will continue to push for federal funding that supports Granite state families and small businesses and ensures that communities across our state, including in rural areas, can grow and thrive.”

“Under the bipartisan infrastructure law, Congress worked together to approve critical investments that are making our communities safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Access to high-speed internet is a necessity for every city and town, and it helps businesses compete, ensures students can learn, and allows patients to see a provider. This funding should never have been threatened or delayed, and I’m relieved that it will soon be delivered to New Hampshire,” said 1st District U.S. Rep. Christopher Pappas. “I will continue working to secure resources that modernize our infrastructure and improve Granite Staters’ quality of life.”

“Access to reliable, high-speed internet is not a luxury. It is a lifeline and economic driver for hardworking families, small businesses, farmers, and rural communities across our state,” said 2nd District U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander. “I look forward to seeing these federal dollars put to work quickly and effectively to deliver for New Hampshire.”

Ayotte pointed to a recent report that shows New Hampshire is the No. 1 internet connected state in the country.

Reviews.org used census data and reported in October that 95.37% of all households in the Granite State are connected to the internet.

“Expanding broadband will help keep our communities safe, grow our economy, improve access to health care in our rural communities, and more. I thank the Department of Commerce for helping us continue to get more Granite Staters connected,” Ayotte said in her statement.

The state’s broadband application process and oversight are the work of the state Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA).

“This investment is critical in reaching the last mile in bringing high-speed service to rural towns, which will support small businesses, enable remote work, and increase access to educational opportunities, healthcare, and other facets of our quality of life,” said Matthew Conserva, program manager of the BEA Office of Broadband Initiatives.

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.

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