There are a handful education bills that GSHE will monitor this year. None seek to change RSA 193-A, the home education law, directly. However, several impact traditional homeschooling families and one is a major threat.
GSHE urges all home-education supporters to get involved and take an active role to protect and preserve parents’ rights to direct their children’s education.
The NH General Court offers two ways to follow legislation.
Subscribe to the House and Senate Calendar updates
Subscribe to individual legislation updates – new!
2024 Bills
HB 1610 relative to standardized assessment data for participants in education freedom accounts.
This is the most important bill GSHE will track this session as it is a threat to home education freedom and autonomy.
HB 1610 requires all school-aged children to participate in the statewide assessment tests regardless of where they are enrolled. Although the bill’s title refers to the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, the bill’s text says “all learning environments” and replaces “may” with “shall contact their local school districts [if they wish] to participate in the statewide assessment” for both nonpublic and home educated students.
It would conflict, and likely negate, the annual assessment flexibility in home-education statute, RSA 193-A:6.
Ironically, HB 1610 keeps statutory language that allows public-school parents to opt their children out of participation in the statewide assessment, but that would not be available to nonpublic nor home education students.
This bill does not yet have a public hearing scheduled, but GSHE will closely follow it and alert the community to updates.
It is important for home education families and supporters to attend the public hearing if at all possible and contact the House Education Committee members. Begin preparation on testimony now as there is usually very little advance notice for public hearings. Make arrangements ahead of time for childcare, if needed. Children and teens are welcome to attend. It can be an excellent civics experience, too. GSHE prepared several advocacy tools that make it easy to get involved and be effective; refer to the links at the end of this page.
HB 1652 relative to establishing a local education freedom account program.
HB 1652 proposes a local Education Freedom Account (EFA) program. If enacted, local districts would have the ability to offer a “money follows the child” opportunity, subject to a vote by residents. The prime sponsor confirmed that participants in a local EFA are public-school students of their resident district once enrolled, neither home-educating under 193-A nor the statewide EFA in RSA 194-F. This is the third time this language is considered by the NH House.
There are 2 CACR (constitutional amendment) bills for 2024 regarding parents' rights for their children's education. Previous bills like these only impacted public education; however, both of these bills extend to all education pathways. Both bills will be assigned to the House Children and Family Law Committee, not the Education Committee.
Constitutional amendments not only must pass the New Hampshire House and Senate, they must also receive 2/3 support by voters. They become effective when the Governor proclaims their adoption. If they fail to receive a 2/3 vote, then they do not become law.
GSHE Advocacy Resources
Sign up for our newsletters and periodic special alerts at our website.
Make a Difference – various ways to get involved.
NH Legislators – updated for 2024 with the Senate and House Education Committee members’ contact information.
Legislative Process – know how bills go through Concord.
GSHE Action Facebook Group – our group focused on advocacy for traditional, unfunded home education, open to NH homeschooling families and supporters not legislators or special-interest organizations.
Make a Difference video – how to be an effective advocate in Concord including how to follow bills, prepare testimony, and coordinate with like-minded people.
By Michelle Levell
