CONCORD, NH – Today, the New Hampshire Senate voted 14-10 in support of a state budget proposal that would erode the foundation of public education in New Hampshire.
Megan Tuttle, President of NEA-New Hampshire, provided the following statement after the vote:
“Budgets are moral documents; they reveal the true priorities of those in power. Unfortunately, the New Hampshire Senate chose to turn its back on our students, families, and communities by advancing a budget that fails to fully fund public education while opening the floodgates for taxpayer-funded subsidies to private schools, regardless of family income.
Nearly 90% of New Hampshire’s students – and 95% of students with a disability – attend public schools, but this budget proposal chooses to shortchange them. It cuts funding for higher education, adds health care costs for low-income children and families, and removes all income limits from the state’s unaccountable private school voucher program, redirecting millions in public funds to benefit the wealthy at the expense of those who need it most.
This is not merely irresponsible—it’s unjust. Granite Staters overwhelmingly support their public schools, and they understand that strong public education is the foundation of strong communities. But the Senate’s budget would deepen the inequities in our school funding system and abandon our collective responsibility to ensure every child—regardless of zip code—has access to a safe, supportive, and high-quality public education.
NEA-New Hampshire stands with educators, families, and students across the state. We will not stop fighting until every child has access to the education they deserve: an education that sparks curiosity, fuels creativity, and opens doors to opportunity.”
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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.
