Lawmakers examine foundation opportunity budget (HB772) and a base increase tied to ConVal (HB675); special education and transportation discussed

Committee members spent a large portion of the session on two bills that would reshape how New Hampshire calculates and funds school budgets.

Representative Luna described HB772 as a formula that first calculates a “foundation opportunity budget” for each district using weighted student counts (for special education, free and reduced-price eligibility, English-language learners, and district size) and then funds that budget by requiring a local contribution up to a capped per-thousand rate and a state share for the remainder. “The foundation contribution is limited to $5.38 per thousand,” a sponsor explained; the bill’s approach phases the state share in and applies a 90% efficiency factor and a transition schedule before full implementation.

HB675 was discussed as a separate, more aggressive approach that would raise base adequacy to figures tied to the ConVal superior-court order (discussants cited a per-student figure from the decision) and increase the SWEP allocation — changes that would raise total costs and…