Welcome to the start of the 2018 legislative session! The Senate and House Education Committees kick off with full schedules of public hearings. We are monitoring several bills and those will include our analysis and recommendations. As a courtesy, we list additional bills and meetings relevant to education issues. There are several bills regarding charter schools and cooperative district agreements in 2018; a handful have hearings this week. None of our top bills are scheduled this week, but the Education Savings Account bill, SB 193, and another impacting homeschoolers have public hearings coming up soon. Legislators’ contact information is at the end.
OVERVIEW
Public hearings are the best opportunity to communicate with committee members and share your opinion. The Legislative Office Building (LOB) is located immediately behind the State House at 33 N. State Street in Concord. For senate bills, sign the white sheet on a side table just inside the door to indicate your support or opposition for a bill, and if you intend to speak. The protocol is a little different in the House. The public may sign the blue sheet near the room entrance to indicate support or opposition to any bill; fill out a pink card if you intend to speak. If possible, provide written copies for each member plus the committee secretary. Personal stories are most effective. If you are unable to attend hearings, email the committee, or better yet, call members individually and indicate if you are a constituent.
Bills may have an executive session at any time after the public hearing. This is when the committee discusses and votes on legislation; it is very influential when the entire chamber votes. Consequently, prompt action on legislation is highly recommended.
Once bills are exec’d, they are usually scheduled for a vote by the entire chamber soon after. This is when all members of the NH House or Senate will vote YEA (to support the committee’s recommendation) or NAY (to oppose the recommendation). Contact your legislators before the session day with brief, polite messages and mention you are a constituent.
Legislators’ contact information is at the end of the article.
SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018: SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, ROOM 103, LOB
Public hearings for the following bills
9:00 a.m. SB 360, establishing a commission to study whether the department of education should be required to conduct criminal history records checks, via a fingerprint check, on all applicants for teacher certification.
9:10 a.m. SB 358, relative to reorganization of the department of education.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2018: HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEEE, ROOM 207, LOB
Public hearings for the following bills
9:30 a.m. HB 1469-L, relative to the dissolution of cooperative school districts.
10:15 a.m. HB 1598-L, relative to the vote to withdraw from a cooperative school district.
10:45 a.m. HB 1253, relative to membership of the cooperative school district budget committees.
11:15 a.m. HB 1452, relative to equalized property valuation used to apportion expenses in cooperative school districts.
1:00 p.m. HB 1594, relative to the disposition of property upon withdrawal from cooperative school districts.
2:00 p.m. HB 1370, relative to a school’s emergency management plan.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018: STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION at 9:00AM
Department of Education, Londergan Hall, room 13, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018: HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEEE, ROOM 207, LOB
Public hearings for the following bills
9:30 a.m. HB 1348, relative to the annual audit report of public charter schools.
10:00 a.m. HB 1228, removing the limitation on a chartered public school incurring long term debt.
10:30 a.m. HB 1229, relative to the teachers’ voting requirement for becoming a charter conversion school.
11:00 a.m. HB 1480, relative to the membership of the board of trustees of a chartered public school.
11:25 a.m. HB 1333, relative to the criteria for teachers in charter schools.
1:00 p.m. HB 1765, relative to policies regarding chartered public schools.
1:25 p.m. HB 1351, relative to notification to parents by charter schools when a child’s teacher has not met certification requirements.
2:00 p.m. HB 1698-FN-L, relative to the cost of special education services for foster children.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018: HOME EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL (HEAC) at 3:30pm
Department of Education, Londergan Hall, room 13, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord
This is the regular bi-monthly meeting of the Home Education Advisory Council. It is open to the public.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018: SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, ROOM 103, LOB
Public hearings for the following bills
9:00 a.m. SB 349, relative to course requirements in a career and technical education program.
9:15 a.m. SB 361, relative to dual and concurrent enrollment agreements between high schools and colleges and universities.
9:30 a.m.SB 356, adding a representative from the community college system to the apprenticeship advisory council.
9:45 a.m. SB 355-FN, relative to the names of colleges in the community college system.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018: HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE, ROOM 210-211, LOB
Public hearings for the following bill
1:30 p.m. *** SB 193-FN, establishing education freedom savings accounts for students.
Position – SUPPORT the bill
Information — Education Savings Accounts are funds that children receive to a designated account that are used for specified educational purposes selected by their families. Approved uses may include online classes, tutoring, textbooks, AP classes, assessments, special-needs services, dual-enrollment courses, private school tuition, homeschool expenses, and other education-related fees. They benefit the most vulnerable in our communities — those of lower-economics means and children with special needs. SB 193 includes several academic and financial accountability mechanisms that are reported to the legislature and state Department of Education. ESAs allow families to make educational decisions for their children based on their individual needs using funds that are already allocated for the child’s education. Even if 5% of eligible students participate in the ESA – this is double the utilization seen in other states with existing ESAs and what opponents project – local districts will retain 98.5% of current funding, including local property taxes and any federal grants. This is not a hardship to districts and within normal enrollment fluctuations. This shift recognizes that the state has an obligation to fund each child’s education, not only one possible provider of that education. Other states with discriminatory Blaine Amendments have ESA programs that have passed constitutional muster; the NH Attorney General’s office indicates the proposed ESA is consistent with NH’s Constitution. It is time for NH to value each child’s education over protecting a system that may not work for them. Email the entire committee at HouseFinanceCommittee@leg.state.nh.us. Read more about ESAs and SB 193 here.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2018: HOUSE LABOR COMMITTEE, ROOM 307, LOB
Public hearing for the following bill
10:30 a.m. * HB 1321, relative to the hours youth are permitted to work
Position – SUPPORT the bill
Information – The current youth employment law, RSA 276-A, includes several restrictions in section four regarding the hours a teen may work during the traditional school day and school year. However, homeschoolers are not required to follow the local school district schedule or calendar. This simple bill removes the limitations that are tied to traditional school hours and days. This is important because schools recognize Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) for course credits and it can impact students’ work-study opportunities. The NH Department of Education encourages district schools to offer ELOs to students as a way to gain “knowledge and skills through instruction or study outside the traditional classroom methodology.” Increasingly schools recognize the value of learning through apprenticeships, community service, internships, and other alternatives. Traditional public and private schools are increasingly offering ELOs as school-day educational options; the current hourly restrictions unfairly limit home-educated students. Email the entire committee at HouseLaborIndustrialandRehabilitativeServicesCommittee@leg.state.nh.us.
CONTACT LEGISLATORS
The Senate and House Education Committee members with contact information is available here. Brief phone calls are most effective, but personalized emails directed to an individual are also helpful; mention if you are a constituent. Personal stories and messages are helpful. At the bottom we’ve supplied a list of the House committee members’ emails for an easy copy/paste.
To contact the Senate Education Committee, email or call them directly. Members of senate committees do not have a shared email address.
2022 Legislation of Interest
| LSR # | Prime Sponsor | Additional Sponsors | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-2047 | Brodie Deshaies | Patrick Long, Linda Massimilla, Dan Wolf, Bonnie Ham, James Allard | requiring parents of public school students to submit a survey when electing an education freedom account |
| 2022-2103 | Linda Tanner | Sherry Frost, Stephen Woodcock, Jaci Grote, Sue Mullen | relative to the state board of education rules for credit for alternative, extended learning, and work-based programs |
| 2022-2145 | Sallie Fellows | requiring a performance audit of the department of education, education freedom account program | |
| 2022-2147 | Timothy Lang | Jason Osborne, Kevin Avard, Michael Moffett, Howard Pearl, Bob Greene, Michael Yakubovich, Judy Aron, Gregg Hough, Aidan Ankarberg | relative to driver education |
| 2022-2166 | Bill Boyd | David Watters, John Reagan, Rick Ladd, Glenn Cordelli, Mark McLean, James Spillane, Michael Moffett, Kevin Verville | relative to the definition of a child with a disability for purposes of special education |
| 2022-2172 | Maureen Mooney | Sharon Carson, Kenneth Weyler, Jeanine Notter, Ruth Ward, Robert Healey | relative to notice to a chartered public school of a special education services meeting |
| 2022-2178 | Maureen Mooney | relative to the provision of special education services by chartered public schools | |
| 2022-2342 | Glenn Cordelli | Carol McGuire, Jason Osborne, Gregory Hill, Michael Moffett, Alicia Lekas, Tony Piemonte, Deborah Hobson | relative to eligibility for the education tax credit |
| 2022-2371 | Marjorie Porter | Marjorie Smith, Paul Berch, Mel Myler, Linda Tanner, Mary Heath, Patricia Cornell, Jay Kahn, Stephen Woodcock, Arthur Ellison, Sue Mullen, Suzanne Prentiss | relative to the source of funds for education freedom accounts |
| 2022-2376 | Glenn Cordelli | relative to special education services for children in chartered public schools | |
| 2022-2407 | Bonnie Ham | requiring the department of education to administer the education freedom account program | |
| 2022-2411 | Bonnie Ham | Brodie Deshaies | relative to verification of eligible students under the education freedom account program |
| 2022-2416 | Bonnie Ham | Brodie Deshaies | relative to funds of the education freedom account program after termination of a student's participation and responsibilities of the scholarship organization |
| 2022-2515 | Erica Layon | relative to student participation in the education freedom accounts program and relative to administration of the program | |
| 2022-2519 | Patricia Cornell | Robert Renny Cushing, Marjorie Porter, Mary Heath, Arthur Ellison, Sue Mullen | relative to participation in the education freedom accounts program by students with disabilities |
| 2022-2543 | Erica Layon | relative to requirements for home education students | |
| 2022-2651 | Susan Almy | relative to driver education and the driver training fund | |
| 2022-2739 | Sue Mullen | Marjorie Porter, Mel Myler, Mary Heath, Patricia Cornell, Stephen Woodcock, Arthur Ellison, Catherin Rombeau | relative to education service providers under the education freedom accounts program |
| 2022-2757 | Linda Tanner | relative to unique pupil identification for pupils in the education freedom accounts program | |
| 2022-2774 | David Luneau | relative to eligibility criteria for education freedom accounts | |
| 2022-2775 | David Luneau | relative to misuse of education freedom account funds | |
| 2022-2776 | David Luneau | Marjorie Smith, Richard Ames | relative to liability as taxable income of education freedom account payments |
| 2022-2777 | David Luneau | relative to transfers of adequate education grants under the education freedom account program | |
| 2022-2778 | David Luneau | repealing the education freedom account program | |
| 2022-2779 | David Luneau | authorizing any taxpayer to initiate a private cause of action for misuse or fraud involving education freedom account funds | |
| 2022-2780 | David Luneau | limiting education freedom account funding to budgeted amounts | |
| 2022-2782 | David Luneau | requiring the scholarship organization to refer suspected cases of misuse of funds or fraud in the education freedom account program to the attorney general | |
| 2022-2811 | Patricia Cornell | Robert Renny Cushing, Mel Myler, Mary Heath, Arthur Ellison, Sue Mullen | relative to record of educational attainment under the educational freedom account program |
| 2022-2812 | Patricia Cornell | Marjorie Porter, Suzanne Vail, Mary Heath, Constance Van Houten, Sue Mullen | relative to education service providers under the education freedom account program |
| 2022-2814 | Alicia Lekas | relative to student eligibility under the education freedom account program | |
| 2022-2818 | Gregory Hill | Kenneth Weyler, Rick Ladd, Glenn Cordelli | establishing an education freedom account program administrator in the department of education and making an appropriation therefor |
| 2022-2834 | Marjorie Porter | Mel Myler, Stephen Woodcock, Arthur Ellison, Sue Mullen | prohibiting the department of education and the state board of education from directing or limiting school instructional options, such as remote learning |
| 2022-2853 | David Watters | relative to dual and concurrent enrollment for career technical education center students | |
| 2022-2921 | Jay Kahn | relative to the authority to offer multiple education instruction options | |
| 2022-2978 | Jay Kahn | Lou D'Allesandro, David Watters, Donna Soucy, Kevin Cavanaugh, Tom Sherman, Cindy Rosenwald, Suzanne Prentiss, Rebecca Whitley, Rebecca Perkins Kwoka | repealing the education freedom account program |
| 2022-2999 | Tom Sherman | Lou D'Allesandro, David Watters, Donna Soucy, Marjorie Smith, Mel Myler, David Luneau, Jay Kahn, Kevin Cavanaugh, Cindy Rosenwald, Suzanne Prentiss, Rebecca Whitley, Rebecca Perkins Kwoka | relative to participation in the education freedom account program |
To contact the entire House Education Committee, you may send one email to HouseEducationCommittee@leg.state.nh.us. Brief phone calls are most effective, but personalized emails directed to an individual are also helpful; mention if you are a constituent. At the bottom we’ve supplied a list of the committee members’ emails for an easy copy/paste.
2021 Home Education Enrollment
| Participating Agencies | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Public Districts | 3,842 | 5,809 | 2,952 | 3,005 | 2,865 |
| NH DOE | 105 | 84 | 3 | 12 | 10 |
| Private Schools | 238 | 217 | 0 | 235 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 4,185 | 6,110 | 2,955 | 3,252 | 2,875 |
ladd.nhhouse@charter.net
terry.wolf@leg.state.nh.us
beshaw3@comcast.net
glenn.cordelli@leg.state.nh.us
bob.elliott@leg.state.nh.us
carolyn.halstead@leg.state.nh.us
Mel.Myler@leg.state.nh.us
patricia.cornell@leg.state.nh.us
jimgreniersullivan7@gmail.com
josh.moore@leg.state.nh.us
Mary.Heath@leg.state.nh.us
David.Doherty@leg.state.nh.us
joe@joepitre.com
patchessul@comcast.net
Wayne.Burton@leg.state.nh.us
linda.tanner@leg.state.nh.us