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May 31, 2024: NEA-NH Legislative Update

House and Senate Head to Committees of Conference Next Week on Major Education Bills  This past week, the House and Senate decided which bills they would agree with the other chamber’s changes (concur), which ones they would go to a committee of conference to work out differences (non-concur and request a committee of conference), and which ones they would simply reject outright without attempting to come to a compromise (non-concur). The aftermath of those decisions is that next week there will be committees of conference meetings on several highly consequential bills for public education and public-school educators.  What are Committees […]

BLOG: NEA-New Hampshire Member Participation Key to Landmark Ruling Striking Down Unconstitutional ‘Banned Concepts’ Law

This week, a federal court ruled that New Hampshire’s “banned concepts” law is unconstitutional which restores the teaching of truth and the right to learn for all Granite Staters. This is the first decision in the country striking down a classroom censorship law that applies to K-12 public schools.  Following the bill’s passage in 2021, NEA-New Hampshire and AFT-New Hampshire heard from teachers that they were confused about what they could and could not teach, and that they were scared of the repercussions for guessing wrong.  After passage of the ‘banned concepts law’ in 2021, NEA-New Hampshire heard from teachers […]

JOINT RELEASE: VICTORY: Court Declares NH Classroom Censorship Law Unconstitutional

Vague law actively discouraged public school teachers from teaching and talking about race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and gender identity inside and outside the classroom Court decision can be viewed here For Immediate Release: May 28, 2024 Contact: Ari Mischik, ACLU-NH, ariana@aclu-nh.org Sara Persechino, NEA-NH, spersechino@nhnea.org Amanda Johnston, GLAD,  ajohnston@glad.org Déodonné Bhattarai, DRC-NH, deodonneb@drcnh.org  CONCORD, N.H. – A federal court ruled today that New Hampshire’s classroom censorship law is unconstitutional. A broad coalition of educators and advocacy groups brought the challenge to the law, which actively discouraged public school teachers from teaching and talking about race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and gender identity inside and outside […]

May 24, 2024: NEA-NH Legislative Update

NH Senate Sends Amended Versions of Private School Voucher Expansion and Unlicensed Part-Time Teacher Bill Back to the House  This week, as expected, the New Hampshire Senate amended and passed on a party line vote, two of the most consequential bills attacking public education that remain in play this session. With the Senate having changed both HB 1298, the unlicensed part-time teacher bill, and HB 1665, the last voucher expansion bill, each bill will now go back to the House for a vote on whether to concur with the changes, request a committee of conference to iron out the differences […]

RELEASE: Senate Vote Could Lower Standards for New Hampshire Teachers

CONCORD, NH – Today, the New Hampshire Senate passed HB 1298 as amended by a voice vote. This bill would lower standards for teachers by creating an uncertified “Part-Time Teacher” who can teach in public schools provided they work less than 30 hours a week, pass a criminal history record check, and are subject to the educator code of conduct. There is no time limit to this status or requirement for a path to certification, traditional or alternative, where a teacher could receive feedback, support, or professional development.  HB 1298 now goes back to the House for a vote to […]

JOINT RELEASE: NH Senate Passes Bill to Expand School Vouchers, Increasing Household Income Eligibility Cap from 350% to 400% of Federal Poverty Guidelines Despite Strong Public Opposition

Educators, Parents, Public School Advocates React; Warn Lawmakers of Devastating Financial and Educational Consequences CONCORD, NH – Today, the New Hampshire Senate voted 14-10 on party lines to pass HB 1665-FN, as amended, which would expand the state’s unaccountable school voucher program yet again.  As passed by the House of Representatives, HB 1665 sought to expand school voucher eligibility from 350% to 500% of the federal poverty level; as amended by the Senate, this bill would expand eligibility to 400% of the federal poverty guidelines, or $124,800 for a family of four. This bill’s language now mirrors SB 442, which […]