New Hampshire House and Senate leaders plan to move ahead this week on the $46 million federal grant to help double the state’s charter schools – their first major legislative action since taking power in the Legislature last month. Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said his department will be submitting another request to accept the funding at Friday’s Fiscal Committee meeting.
“The pandemic has made it clear that many of our public schools and districts need help. Now is not the time to double the number of charter schools in New Hampshire,” said Megan Tuttle, NEA-NH President. “NH Students and families need our elected leaders to pay attention to the schools we already have, and help them with the health crisis we are in right now.“
New Hampshire’s charter school laws provide for weak regulations and lax oversight. Students with disabilities are often locked out or pushed out of charter schools that can’t meet their needs.
The growth of charter schools has taken needed funding from local public schools and communities, which enroll over 90 percent of our K-12 students, without producing any overall increase in student learning and growth.
As taxpayer-funded schools, charter schools must be held to the same safeguards and high standards of accountability, transparency, oversight and equity as public schools.
