New Hampshire
Why is public education in New Hampshire so expensive? – The Boston Globe
Enrollment has been going down for more than two decades due to long-term demographic changes. New Hampshire’s population has been aging, and the number of school-aged children has been declining. That’s in line with trends of diminishing enrollment from around the country, according to the state Department of Education. At the start of the 2024 school year, there were about 162,660 students enrolled in public schools, according to state data.
Having fewer students can drive up the cost per student, when the same costs of operating a school building and paying teachers are spread among fewer students. But beyond that, costs are also going up.
Compared to other states and Washington, D.C., spending in New Hampshire is relatively high — in fiscal year 2022, it ranked 7th highest for school spending per student, according to the US Census Bureau.
New York topped the list at $29,873 per student, with neighboring Vermont at number four ($24,608), followed by Connecticut ($24,453), and Massachusetts ($21,906). Rhode Island ranked ninth highest, at $19,962 per student. Nationally, average spending per pupil in 2022 was $15,663, according to the Census Bureau data.
It’s no surprise that high spending is clustered in New England and the Northeast, more broadly, where the cost of living is relatively high, according to Christina Pretorius, policy director at Reaching Higher NH, a nonprofit education think tank.
“It’s just the nature of living in a New England state,” she said. “I was in Oklahoma, and gas was a drastically different price than it was here, as were groceries.”
Education spending in Oklahoma was significantly lower; at $10,890 per pupil, it ranked 48 in the Census Bureau data.
A lower cost of living can translate to lower costs for running a school building or lower educator pay. Plus, Pretorius said, other states have to adhere to different educational standards, with varying requirements, such as the ratio of teachers to students, for example.
New Hampshire is also a relatively rural state, where education costs are spread among fewer students. That’s especially noticeable in some of the most rural parts of the state, such as in Pittsburg, the northernmost town in the state which abuts the Canadian border. Pittsburg’s cost per pupil was the highest in the state, at nearly $44,500, according to the Department of Education.
And there’s a lot of local control in New Hampshire — where local voters get to make budgetary decisions about things like staffing levels.
But the education commissioner said the numbers indicate it may be time for change.
“The persistent trend of declining student enrollment combined with rising costs creates substantial financial strain on school districts, taxpayers and communities, necessitating new and creative approaches to educating our children in a system that can be sustained over the long term,” Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said in a press release.
An analysis from Reaching Higher found that from 2014 to 2024 overall spending went up by 7.4 percent, growing from $3.5 billion to $3.8 billion after adjusting for inflation. The actual cost in 2014 was about $2.8 billion.
There were a few specific programs contributing to the increase.
Spending on special education, bilingual, and gifted and talented programs has gone up by about 10 percent after adjusting for inflation. In 2024, this made up about 20 percent of total spending.
Other instructional programs such as school-sponsored co-curricular activities, sports, and summer school went up by 15 percent in the past decade, but it’s a relatively small slice of overall spending, at less than 2 percent.
Student support services also went up significantly, rising 18 percent in the past decade, to fund social work, guidance, health, psychological services, and speech pathology. That now accounts for just over 8 percent of total spending.
General administration and business expenses increased by about 21 percent, and account for about 4.5 percent of overall spending.
Operating school buildings went up by almost 17 percent in the past decade, and at $350 million, it accounts for about 9.3 percent of overall spending.
Pretorius said just looking at the cost per pupil is a myopic view of school funding issues. In the past 10 years, student needs have changed, she said, pointing to mental health needs during and after the pandemic, as one example.
“Cost per pupil is just one measure,” she said, “but it’s certainly not the whole picture.”
In her view, the cost of operating a school has actually remained relatively flat over the past 10 years. And she warned that lowering the cost per pupil might entail cuts that could harm student learning — like firing a teacher, reducing programs, or decreasing support available to students.
Andrew Cline, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, a free market think tank, said education costs are so high in New Hampshire because local voters choose to spend money on public schools, even if it means raising taxes.
“People like their public schools and want to spend more money on them,” he said. “That’s what’s mostly driving the overall spending increase and the per pupil increases.”
A 2023 study from his think tank found education spending increased 40 percent from 2001 through 2019, with a large portion of spending dedicated to hiring new staff.
The study found that many of the new hires were administrative staff, noting a 57 percent increase in district administrators. Support staff grew 31 percent, paraprofessionals and aides grew 40 percent, while teachers only grew about 2 percent.
Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.
New Hampshire
Longtime Blue Jays organization member Tamargo tasked with leading New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Are you ready for your mornings reimagined?
Hi! I’m Garret Doll (like Ken, but less hair and not as handsome), and I’m teaming up with Katie Killourhy for 97.5 WOKQ’s new morning show, Garret & Katie in the Morning!
You ready to join us?
So, Who Is Garret Doll?
I’ve learned something about myself… I don’t like clutter. Unless it’s my clutter. Then it’s not clutter, it’s a system.
That’s probably a pretty accurate starting point for who I am. A little self-aware, a little stubborn, and definitely someone who knows what he likes. I like tacos, steak tips and lobster rolls. (Fun fact: I’ve never had a lobster roll until moving here.)
How It All Started
This whole radio thing started for me when I was 15. My mom helped me land a job at a radio station in my hometown (cause she worked there), and I fell in love with radio. I’ve never left this career.
I’ve spent my entire adult life doing this job, and I still feel like I lucked into the best job in the world. No two days are the same. One minute you’re talking about life, the next you’re playing your favorite songs, then suddenly you’re out in the community meeting people who feel like friends you’ve known forever.
Most of my career took me to places like Denver, Charleston, and Richmond. Now, somehow, it’s brought me here to New Hampshire.
Honestly, I look at it like a “this is exactly where I’m supposed to be” moment. It’s a new start on life, so to speak. You will learn more about that as we get to know each other and you listen to the show on 97.5 WOKQ.
Why WOKQ Matters to Me
WOKQ is one of those stations you hear about in radio. It’s got history. It’s got heart. And it’s built around a community that actually cares about local connection and country music throughout New England.
That matters to me.
I don’t want to just “be on the radio.” I want to be part of what’s happening here. The towns, the events, the random conversations at a bar, the places you tell your friends they have to check out.
That’s the fun part of all of this.
What I’m All About
I’m a pretty simple dude:
I’m the guy who would give you the shirt off my back
Glass half full (even when it probably shouldn’t be)
Always smiling
Authentic… sometimes too authentic
And yeah, there are definitely moments where I say something before thinking it all the way through.
So if you ever hear me and think, “Did he really just say that?” There’s a decent chance the answer is yes.
Some Quick Hits About Me
Coffee order: Americano
Drink Order: Old Fashioned or just a good local beer
Favorite food: Tacos (not even close)
Guilty pleasure show: The Big Bang Theory
Pet peeve: Close talkers… and people who are late
Random fact: I once got a tattoo of Dopey from the Seven Dwarfs because a girl I was dating wanted one. We got them together. (Don’t worry, it’s been covered up by a microphone and a rose… and I haven’t heard from her in about 20 years)
Let’s Do This Together
I’m new to town, which means I could really use your help.
Where’s your go-to spot when you just want to get outside? Best place to hike? Kayak? Local bar? Just disappear for a few hours?
READ MORE: Hidden Gems in New Hampshire: 5 Secret Places Worth Discovering
Drop me your favorites, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the best recommendations don’t come from Google… they come from you! The ones who actually live it.
And I’m ready to start exploring and getting to know you. So make sure to tune in to Garret & Katie in the Morning! See you there.
BankNH Pavilion: Summer Show Lineup, 2026
Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan
HUDSON, N.H. — An animal cruelty investigation led to the arrest of two former tenants who police say left three cats behind in the apartment they were evicted from.
The Hudson Police Department said officers responded to 19 Oliver Drive on Nov. 25 after the town’s animal control officer received a report that multiple cats had been left behind in an apartment previously occupied by Faith Byers, 48, and Kevin Greene, 57.
The pair had reportedly been evicted a week earlier, on Nov. 18.
Police said that attempts to reach Byers and Greene by phone were unsuccessful, and the property owner later confirmed that the two had moved out without taking the cats or arranging for their care.
With the owner’s permission, police entered the apartment and found three cats alone inside the unoccupied residence.
Police said they determined the cats had been left unattended for several days in conditions lacking adequate airflow, sunlight, litter and consistent access to food or water. Police added that no care plan had been made for the animals, and neither former tenant indicated any intention to return for them.
The animals were safely removed and transported to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, where they are now receiving care.
Arrest warrants were issued for Byers and Greene, who are each charged with one count of cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor. They were arrested on Friday and released on personal recognizance bail.
They are scheduled to appear in 9th Circuit Court Nashua District Division at 1 p.m. April 28.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
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