HB 366 increases the annual funding floor for New Hampshire school building aid grants from $50 million to $60 million, starting July 2025. It requires at least $5 million of this total to fund projects that began construction between 2009 and 2019 but were delayed due to prior funding limitations, prioritizing these under existing application rules. This change directly affects school districts seeking construction or renovation funding, with local districts expected to receive an estimated $45-50 million more annually starting in 2026. The bill does not create new state spending but adjusts existing appropriations from the Education Trust Fund.
HB 112 requires students at New Hampshire's public universities and community colleges to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services civics naturalization test (a 128-question test with a 70% passing score) to graduate, starting January 1, 2026. It applies to all students admitted or transferring after that date, excluding exchange students and foreign nationals. Institutions must establish procedures to administer, certify, and track test results, with costs estimated at $200,000-$1,000,000 annually covered by school operating funds. The bill does not provide state funding and exempts non-U.S. students, focusing solely on a graduation requirement for domestic students.
This bill allows New Hampshire parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state, regardless of where the family lives. It removes the requirement that children attend the school assigned to their resident district and makes all public schools "open enrollment" schools. The bill requires school districts to post school capacity information online, report on transfer applications, and establish policies for student transfers. Funding for students transferring to a different district will be based on the resident district's average cost per pupil, with potential additional costs borne by parents. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.
HB 563 adjusts New Hampshire's education funding for students receiving special education services by introducing three new funding categories based on the intensity of support needed. It increases grants by $2,185 for students receiving services 80% or more of the day (Category B), $3,278 for those needing 80% or more specialized support (Category B), and $7,648 for students in separate schools or homebound settings (Category C). The bill directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and Education Freedom Accounts, with an estimated $7.1 million increase in state funding for districts in fiscal year 2026. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, and replaces the previous special education funding structure with these tiered amounts.
HB 129 defines "evidence-based" for public education methods to require that teaching approaches, training, and policies must be supported by reproducible scientific studies across multiple disciplines or well-designed experiments within a single discipline - excluding surveys or subjective data. It directly affects all New Hampshire public school districts and the Department of Education, mandating they use this definition in all communications and publicly disclose the scientific studies supporting their methods. The bill requires districts to review existing practices and adopt new evidence-based methods, with the Department of Education needing to hire a consultant to implement the changes (estimated cost: $118,000 annually starting in 2026). Local districts will also face administrative costs for reviewing and updating curricula and training, though exact impacts vary by district. The law takes effect 60 days after passage.
HB 68 requires school superintendents to approve student reassignment requests within the same school district unless they provide a valid written reason for denial. It directly affects parents or guardians requesting school changes and school superintendents handling those requests. The bill mandates that superintendents must provide parents with a written explanation for any denial within 10 days. If superintendents fail to meet these requirements, the reassignment request is automatically approved.
HCR 11 is a procedural resolution declaring that New Hampshire's legislative and executive branches are not bound by judicial directives from the Claremont school funding cases requiring them to define "adequate education," establish "standards of accountability," or guarantee public school funding. It asserts these court mandates violate the separation of powers outlined in the state constitution, arguing the judiciary overstepped by directing policy decisions properly within the elected branches' authority. The resolution states the legislature and governor retain sole responsibility for setting education policy, including funding levels, without judicial oversight on "adequacy" or specific implementation. As a concurrent resolution, it does not change laws but formally states the branches' position on judicial overreach.
HB 773 modifies how New Hampshire distributes special education aid to school districts by removing the requirement to prorate funds when state appropriations are insufficient. Instead, the bill mandates that school districts receive at least 85% of their entitlement for catastrophic special education costs each fiscal year. This change affects all New Hampshire school districts that receive special education aid under RSA 186-C:18. The bill does not provide new funding but would increase the amount of aid districts receive when costs exceed certain thresholds, though the exact financial impact depends on annual claims.
HB 295 makes funds allocated for New Hampshire's school building aid program nonlapsing, meaning unused money won't expire or return to the state treasury at year-end. This directly affects school districts and chartered public schools that receive these funds for building projects. The key provision changes the funding status under RSA 198:15-a, ensuring aid can carry over to future years if not spent in the current fiscal period. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, providing more stable long-term funding for school construction needs.
HB 742 changes how New Hampshire funds special education costs for school districts with "catastrophic" needs (where costs exceed 3.5 times the state average per pupil). It removes the current system of prorating aid when funds are insufficient and requires all such state aid to come directly from the Education Trust Fund. This ensures full payment to qualifying districts without proportional cuts, affecting school districts with high special education costs. The fiscal note estimates this would increase annual state spending by approximately $16.4 million starting in 2026, as districts previously received only about 67.5% of requested funds.
