Local elected leaders, educators press finance committee to boost school funding and oppose voucher expansion

Representatives of 88 municipalities, 67 school districts and hundreds of parents and educators asked the House Finance Committee to increase state funding for public schools and to resist expanding the Education Freedom Account program.

School board chairs, superintendents, mayors and local elected leaders testified that New Hampshire pays one of the lowest shares of education costs in the nation and that state aid remains insufficient for special‑education services, causing local property‑tax pressure and cuts to programs.

"New Hampshire sends less money to its public schools than any other state in the nation," said Regan Lamphere's representative read by Casey Neil, citing research that placed the state near the bottom of per‑pupil state support. Multiple speakers noted the state provides roughly a fifth of school funding while local property taxes supply the majority; they urged the committee to raise adequacy aid and special‑education differentiated aid.

Speakers warned that expanding Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) would divert public dollars to families already enrolled in private schools and would not relieve local budgets. "There is currently about 6,000 kids in the program costing about $30 million a year, with virtually no local tax savings," Representative David LeNeux told the committee and cautioned that universal expansion could cost tens of millions more.

Local leaders described concrete classroom impacts: cuts to trades, reductions in special‑education staffing, and elimination of elective courses. Plymouth and Franklin school officials testified about lower per‑pupil spending and rising out‑of‑district special‑education placements that drive costs.

Advocates and educators asked the committee to increase base adequacy, special‑education reimbursements and tax‑relief mechanisms for low‑income homeowners, and to keep public funds in public schools. They provided a letter signed by 241 local elected officials representing more than 90,000 students.

The committee accepted written testimony and public comment. Committee members said they will consider adequacy and special‑education figures in budget deliberations.