Education

passed · New Hampshire · House May 7, 2026

HB 112: requiring students in the university and community college systems of New Hampshire to pass the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics naturalization test, take a course that covers fundamental American documents as part of the general education curriculum, or pass a civics course competency test.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates civics test and American documents curriculum for graduation, enhancing civic literacy standards in higher education curriculum without restricting access or funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education

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died · New Hampshire · Senate Aug 20, 2026

SB 101: authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves geographic enrollment barriers, expanding K-12 school access for parents and students across districts without restricting options.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 563: relative to the cost of an opportunity for an adequate education, extraordinary need grants, fiscal capacity disparity aid, and determination of education grants.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state education grants for special needs students by $2,185-$7,648, directly allocating additional public funds for essential education services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases special education funding with specific grant amounts ($2,185-$7,648) for higher-need students, directly advancing educational support and funding for K-12 services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 129: relative to the definition of the term "evidence-based" within public education.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires evidence-based teaching methods via scientific studies, strengthening curriculum standards without funding changes or restrictions.95% confidence

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 68: making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates school reassignment approvals within district unless valid reason given, expanding parental educational access and choice.90% confidence

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 773: relative to aid to school districts for the cost of special education.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEnsures 85% of special education entitlement without proration, protecting existing funding for essential public services under state budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures 85% minimum special education funding for districts, protecting existing resources without new appropriations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 295: making school building aid program funds nonlapsing.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMakes school building aid funds nonlapsing, preventing unused money from expiring and returning to treasury. Ensures stable funding for school projects and promotes fiscal responsibility in budget management.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill prevents expiration of school building aid funds, ensuring stable long-term funding for infrastructure projects and avoiding wasted resources.95% confidence

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in committee · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 742: requiring catastrophic special education state aid funding to be drawn from the education trust fund.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEnsures full state aid from Education Trust Fund for special education, preventing proration cuts to essential public service funding.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures full state aid from Education Trust Fund for districts with catastrophic special education costs, preventing proration cuts and strengthening funding for vulnerable students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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failed · New Hampshire · Senate Jan 7, 2026

SB 208: requiring local school boards and public libraries to adopt curation policies.

This bill requires all New Hampshire public school boards and public library boards to adopt policies for curating library materials by July 1, 2026. The policies must prohibit censorship based on disagreement with viewpoints or content being offensive (while allowing age-appropriate restrictions), and ensure diverse perspectives in collections. It establishes a formal review process for challenged materials, requiring libraries to maintain access to materials during review and creating committees with specific membership requirements to evaluate removal requests. The bill also provides legal protections for librarians and staff who follow these policies, including immunity from liability and the ability to seek damages for harassment. The bill has no fiscal impact as it's expected to be implemented within existing staffing resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires diverse perspectives in school/library materials, prohibits viewpoint-based censorship, and maintains access during reviews - protects educational access and curriculum integrity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 362: granting the department of education rulemaking authority to require candidates to obtain passing scores on professional education assessments.

HB 362 requires all candidates seeking New Hampshire teaching, administrator, or specialist licenses to achieve passing scores on professional education assessments. This applies to educators seeking certification in public schools, with a specific exception allowing local school boards to request waivers for Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers. The bill grants the Department of Education rulemaking authority to establish these assessment requirements and processes. The law takes effect 60 days after passage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates professional assessments for teacher certification, strengthening educator qualifications and standards per bill's requirement for passing scores on assessments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Teachers Testing & Assessment

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