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Debate over who pays as NH bill would let EFA voucher students access district classes and testing
Summary
HB 1817 would recognize Education Freedom Account (EFA) students as an equal education pathway and let them take district curricular and co-curricular offerings including the statewide assessment and PSAT/SAT. Supporters say it restores access; school administrators and unions warn districts would shoulder uncompensated costs unless reimbursement language is added.
Representative Valerie McDonald told the Senate Education Committee HB 1817 would clarify RSA 1931-C so Education Freedom Account students are treated as a fourth education pathway with equal access to district curricular and co‑curricular offerings — including the statewide assessment and the PSAT/SAT.
"Students within each pathway should have equal access to local opportunities," McDonald said, urging the committee to standardize practices that some districts treat inconsistently.
The bill’s sponsor said she did not include an adequacy-payment change because the 0.15 (0.15%) reimbursement formula currently used for home-education students is not consistently applied to charter or private students and because the legislature should avoid tying adequacy formula changes to policy in a non-budget year.
Supporters…
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