Education

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1493: relative to health education and requiring pupils to view certain videos demonstrating gestational development of the heart, brain, and other vital organs.

HB 1493 requires all New Hampshire public school districts to incorporate a specific, scientifically accurate video into health education curricula. The video must demonstrate the gestational development of the heart, brain, and other vital organs during embryonic and fetal stages. This applies to all students in the health curriculum, with the requirement effective September 1, 2026. The bill mandates that the video be age-appropriate and medically verified, but does not specify which video or impose direct costs on schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates inclusion of scientifically accurate embryonic development video in health curriculum, adding specific educational content to K-12 health education requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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passed both · New Hampshire · House May 7, 2026

HB 1571: requiring the department of education to review statewide academic standards and curricula.

HB 1571 requires New Hampshire's Department of Education to review statewide academic standards for English/language arts, math, and science every 10 years, beginning in June 2026. The review must align standards with rigor, clarity, and relevance, incorporating input from students, parents, and educators. School districts must select new curriculum materials from a department-approved list based on the revised standards. The bill appropriates $1 for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to fund this process.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates review to strengthen academic standards and curriculum alignment with rigor, clarity, and stakeholder input, requiring updated district materials.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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passed both · New Hampshire · House May 7, 2026

HB 1818: requiring the department of education to use its 10-year school facilities plans to plan and project out building consolidation projects.

HB 1818 allows school construction grant funds to be used for consolidating school buildings and facilities, creating a new "School Facility Consolidation Incentive Fund." The fund provides grants to public school districts that close underutilized schools (e.g., those with less than 70% facility usage or declining enrollment), covering costs like planning, closure, tuition agreements, and transition expenses. Districts receiving funds must keep closed facilities shut for at least 20 years, with repayment required for violations. Priority is given to districts with high operating costs per student or significant enrollment declines, aiming to improve efficiency and educational access through consolidation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReallocates existing school construction grants to consolidate underutilized facilities, promoting fiscal responsibility in government spending.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects existing construction grants to consolidate underutilized schools, optimizing infrastructure efficiency and preventing wasted resources in K-12 facilities.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Higher Education School Funding

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failed · New Hampshire · Senate May 8, 2026

SB 576: adds definitions and reporting requirements relative to education freedom accounts.

SB 576 adds clear definitions for key terms in New Hampshire's education freedom account (EFA) program, including "program administrator" (the entity managing the EFA program), "applicant" (a parent or guardian applying for an EFA), and "vendor" (an approved provider of education services). The bill requires the program administrator to submit detailed quarterly reports starting in 2026, covering data like the number of applications, approved students, fund distributions to vendors, student demographics, and expense categories. These reports must be submitted electronically within 30 days after each quarter and made publicly available online to ensure transparency. Failure to submit reports on time could trigger oversight actions by the state education department.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access via EFA program funding, enabling parents to use public funds for approved education services, aligning with support indicators.85% confidence

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died · New Hampshire · House Jun 24, 2026

HB 1708: relative to statewide education property taxes and other tax revenues.

HB 1708 reduces the statewide education property tax (SWEPT) rate for homeowners and property owners while increasing the business profits tax rate from 7.5% to 8.5% (with 40-44.2% of this revenue directed to the education trust fund). It sets specific annual revenue targets for the SWEPT - $346 million for 2026-2027, $284 million for 2027-2028, and $273 million annually thereafter - to maintain current education funding levels. Affected parties include residential property owners (who see lower taxes) and businesses (which pay higher profits taxes), with municipalities impacted by the tax shift receiving capped compensation up to $90 million. The bill ensures no net reduction in education funding by offsetting the SWEPT cut through increased business tax revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces SWEPT for homeowners while increasing business tax to fund education, maintaining current education spending levels with specific revenue targets.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill maintains education funding levels by redirecting business tax revenue (40-44.2%) to education trust fund while reducing SWEPT rates, explicitly preserving current funding through adjusted tax structure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Property Tax State Budget School Funding

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jun 24, 2026

HB 1817: relative to access to curricular courses and cocurricular programs within school districts.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access by allowing home-educated students to participate fully in district courses and activities without stricter rules, aligning with support indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

passed both · New Hampshire · House May 21, 2026

HB 1792: relative to the prohibition on teaching discrimination.

HB 1792 prohibits New Hampshire public schools and staff from teaching critical race theory, LGBTQ+ ideologies, or specific identity-based pedagogies that the bill defines as promoting division or anti-constitutional views. It specifically bans practices like requiring students to identify "oppressors" based on race/gender, prioritizing identity over shared values, or affirming non-binary gender identities as normative. The bill creates a private right of action, allowing parents or students to sue schools for violations. It explicitly excludes factual, neutral instruction on history or events. The law aims to preserve "neutral or patriotic" education while restricting certain teaching methods deemed divisive.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits teaching critical race theory and LGBTQ+ ideologies, restricting curriculum content and academic freedom in schools per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

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died · New Hampshire · House Aug 20, 2026

HB 1834: relative to the education freedom account enrollment cap.

HB 1834 sets a fixed enrollment cap of 10,000 students for New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account (EFA) program for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, instead of allowing the cap to increase to 12,500 under current law. This directly affects families applying for EFA funds to cover private school costs and participating private schools. The bill freezes the cap until 2028, requiring any future increase only if enrollment exceeds 90% of the prior year's cap. The fiscal note estimates this change would save approximately $6.3 million in state spending for fiscal year 2027 by limiting enrollment to 11,250 students instead of 12,500. The bill does not alter eligibility rules or funding per student.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesFreezes EFA enrollment cap at 10,000, restricting future state spending instead of allowing 12,500 cap increase per current law.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationFreezes EFA enrollment cap at 10,000 instead of allowing 12,500 increase, restricting program expansion and limiting educational access options.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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in committee · New Hampshire · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 588: requiring that all municipalities that are served by a school district vote on the closure of schools.

SB 588 requires all municipalities served by a school district to vote on closing any elementary or high school. It mandates school boards to hold public meetings after receiving petitions from 20+ voters, with ballots asking "Shall the school district authorize the discontinuation of [school]?" A majority vote is required for closure. This applies to both single-district and cooperative school districts, repealing previous rules that allowed school boards to decide closures without voter input. The bill directly affects residents in all towns served by the school and changes how school closures are approved.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires community vote before school closures, protecting educational access by preventing unilateral decisions without public input.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Funding

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passed · New Hampshire · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 1788: holding state contracts with DEI provisions to be void as a matter of law and establishing a right of action for citizens where public entities or state agencies engage with contracts with DEI provisions.

HB 1788 prohibits state agencies and public schools from entering contracts with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements, such as mandating DEI programs, training, or reporting. It defines DEI as initiatives classifying individuals by certain characteristics to achieve demographic outcomes (excluding health services, ADA compliance, and student organizations), making any contract violating this automatically void. Taxpayers could then sue public entities for entering such contracts, seeking court orders to cancel the contracts and recover legal fees. The bill applies to all state contracts and public school agreements, directly affecting government entities and their contractors.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill prohibits public schools from entering DEI-related contracts, restricting curriculum/program initiatives classified as DEI under the bill's definition.92% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill bans DEI contract requirements, restricting workplace diversity initiatives that support equal employment opportunities, directly opposing labor & employment protections.90% confidence

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