CONCORD, NH — Today, the New Hampshire Supreme Court issued a ruling affirming the State’s failure to meet its constitutional obligation to fund an adequate public education. The Court’s decision–which comes just days after the next two-year state budget was signed into law–clearly states that New Hampshire’s current base adequacy aid is “woefully inadequate” and it encourages the Legislature to act swiftly following the judicial guidance.
NEA-New Hampshire President Megan Tuttle released the following statement on the ruling:
“This ruling is a long-overdue validation of what New Hampshire’s educators, parents, and students have known for decades: our public education system has been chronically underfunded, and the legislature has repeatedly failed to uphold its constitutional duty to remedy that. While the Court stopped short of ordering immediate funding increases, its unequivocal acknowledgment of legislative inaction marks a significant turning point.
We urge lawmakers to read this ruling not as a mere legal critique, but as a moral call to action. Every child in New Hampshire–regardless of zip code–deserves access to fully funded, high-quality public education. That right is guaranteed by our state Constitution and cannot be met through empty promises or incremental reforms.
Educators across this state are tired of making do with less–fewer resources, outdated materials, antiquated buildings, and overburdened staff. The Court is right: the status quo is unacceptable, and change is long overdue.”
Notable Quotes from the NH Supreme Court Majority Opinion:
- "This appeal presents the issue as to whether the state has fulfilled its constitutional obligation to determine the cost of and sufficiently fund the opportunity for constitutionally adequate education for each educable child in New Hampshire. We agree with the trial court that it has not. However, we reverse the trial court's directive that the state immediately increase public School funding"
- "We conclude that the trial courts remedy- a directive requiring the state to spend the bare minimum on education- was not only proper but necessary in light of the overwhelming evidence establishing that the current amount of Base adequacy aid is" woefully inadequate" coupled with the legislature's long-standing failure to meet its duty to fully fund a constitutionally adequate public education"
- “We believe that the proper remedy cannot be to allow the legislature to continue to idle. We fear that the longer the judiciary waits to carry out its constitutional duty to provide a meaningful remedy in school funding cases, the more likely it is that the legislature will continue to ignore its obligation to fund the constitutional right to an adequate education. The legislature will not be deterred from maintaining the status quo when it perceives that the prospect of meaningful judicial relief is unlikely.”
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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.
