Education

HB 1358 establishes a 9-member commission to study transitioning all New Hampshire public schools to charter schools. The commission will assess potential impacts on property taxes, student achievement, teacher retention, funding models, and local control. It must submit findings and recommendations to state leaders by January 1, 2027. This bill creates a study body but does not implement any school conversions or change existing charter conversion procedures.

HB 1374 modifies the procedure for school districts withdrawing from cooperative school districts. It requires only a 3/5 supermajority of voters in the withdrawing district to approve withdrawal, replacing the prior requirement that also needed majority support from the entire cooperative district. This simplifies the process by focusing approval solely on the district seeking to leave. The bill directly affects school districts considering separation from cooperative arrangements.

HB 1268 modifies New Hampshire's home education law by adding definitions for terms like "child," "parent," and "resident district," and removing specific notification and assessment requirements. It eliminates the requirement for parents to notify school officials when starting a home education program, withdrawing a child from public school, or terminating a program. Parents must still notify their resident district superintendent if they want their child to participate in public school activities or use district assessments. The bill simplifies administrative steps for homeschooling families while maintaining core requirements for program documentation. This change directly affects parents educating children at home in New Hampshire.

HB 1774 requires New Hampshire to participate in a federal tax credit for donations to scholarship organizations and creates a state list of qualifying groups. It prohibits state financial aid for college programs that don't meet federal earnings standards, defined by outcomes like job placement and wages above 150% of the federal poverty level. This affects public colleges, universities, and students enrolled in programs deemed "low-earning outcome" under federal criteria. The law aims to redirect state funding toward academic programs with stronger job prospects for graduates.

HB 1817 allows students who reside in a New Hampshire school district - regardless of whether they attend public, private, charter, or home education programs - to access all curricular courses and cocurricular activities (like clubs, sports, and arts) offered by that district. It requires school boards to adopt policies ensuring these students face no stricter rules than resident students in the district. The bill specifically affects home-educated students (including those with disabilities under certain conditions), private school students, and charter school students who live within a district but are not enrolled there. It does not change where students must attend school but guarantees equal access to local programs once they reside in a district.