New Hampshire principals tell study committee forced SAU consolidation could add costs, stretch school leaders

Principals from across New Hampshire told a legislative study committee on Wednesday that mandatory consolidation of school administrative units (SAUs) could produce higher long‑term costs and overburden building principals.

The testimony came during a meeting of the Committee to Study Reducing the Number of School Administrative Units in the State. Bridal Belmer, executive director of the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, led a panel of school leaders who asked the committee to approach consolidation proposals cautiously and consider voluntary, gradual change.

Belmer said research and states’ experiences show the promise of administrative savings often goes unrealized. “As districts merge, personnel costs often increase,” she said, adding that aligning salaries and benefits across a newly formed district can quickly eat potential savings. She also cited longer bus routes and the cost of new central technology or facilities as expenses that can erode projected savings.

The principals framed their concerns around three related points: the scope of principals’ day‑to‑day duties, the legal and technical demands of…