January 16, 2025
For Immediate Release
CONCORD, NH – Today, the New Hampshire House Education Funding Committee heard testimony on HB 115, which would eliminate eligibility requirements for the state’s private school voucher program and institute a universal voucher scheme that would divert millions of public dollars from public schools. At the time of the hearing, 3,165 Granite Staters signed in to oppose universal vouchers; 764 individuals signed in to support HB 115.
Megan Tuttle, President of NEA-New Hampshire, provided the following statement at the time of the hearing:
“Public dollars belong in public schools. But HB 115 would divert even more state funds from our public schools and weaken educational opportunities for the nearly 90% of Granite State students who attend public schools.
We know what builds student success – smaller class sizes, more one-on-one attention for students, and increased salaries to address the teacher and staff shortages in New Hampshire schools. These goals can’t be achieved if the state takes more taxpayer funds from public schools and gives them to private institutions with no accountability measures.
Now is the time for New Hampshire lawmakers to address critical funding issues like educator shortages and funding special education costs, rather than divert more taxpayer money to private schools.”
Background:
- New Hampshire’s current voucher program:
- New Hampshire’s voucher program was launched in 2021 and permits families to use taxpayer funds to pay for tuition or costs associated with private schools, homeschool, and other non-public school options.
- Funds to cover vouchers – which will cost an estimated $24 million this year alone – come directly from the Education Trust Fund.
- A recent analysis from Reaching Higher NH indicates that expanding our voucher program with no income limit could cost the state over $100 million dollars per year.
- Current eligibility requirements for New Hampshire’s school voucher program include that the child must be at least 5 years old and no older than 20 years old and entering Kindergarten – 12th grade.
- As part of the 2023 state budget, lawmakers increased the income threshold for voucher eligibility to 350% of federal poverty level.
- According to data from the NH Department of Education, enrollment in the voucher program reached 5,321 participants in the start of September of 2024, with a forecast of at least $27.6 million for this fiscal year.
- According to Reaching Higher NH, based on data provided by NH DOE, fewer than half (44%) of students enrolled in the voucher program this year are classified as low-income, down from 54% when the program launched in 2021.
- Arizona Universal Voucher System Issues Overview:
- The fiscal consequences alone for the bills being considered in New Hampshire would be dire for our public schools and our students, as evidenced by the current situation in the state of Arizona.
- Arizona quickly expanded their voucher program to be universal. Presently, the voucher system is on track to cost over $900 million in its second year. That is 1,400% higher than projected.
- Like our own program here in New Hampshire, in Arizona vouchers are primarily being used by families who had previously chosen private school and is all new spending.
- The Arizona universal voucher program is also primarily benefiting more affluent families in wealthier zip codes. In voucher systems, students in rural areas are disadvantaged because there are fewer options in their area – which is one reason why high-quality neighborhood public schools are so important.
- Arizona’s universal voucher system has put the state in a massive deficit that leaves the state and local school districts with few options but to cut public education funding or raise local property taxes.
- Additional Voucher Information:
- When states collect data on students who use school vouchers, those students do not report improved outcomes compared to their publicly educated peers. In fact, in a study on the impact of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, they performed worse after participating in their state’s school voucher program – which is consistent with findings in other states.
- Recent research out of Stanford University further validates that “school choice” policies only increase segregation. You can read more about Stanford’s research at this link: 70 years after Brown v. Board of Education, new research shows rise in school segregation.
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About NEA-New Hampshire
NEA-New Hampshire is the largest union of public employees in the state. Founded in 1854, the New Hampshire State Teachers Association became one of the “founding ten” state education associations that formed the National Education Association in 1857. Known today as NEA-NH, and comprised of more than 17,000 members, our mission to advocate for the children of New Hampshire and public-school employees, and to promote lifelong learning, remains true after more than 165 years. Our members are public school employees in all stages of their careers, including classroom teachers and other certified professionals, staff and instructors at public higher education institutions, students preparing for a teaching career, education support personnel and those retired from the profession.