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Hollis/Brookline board opts into open-enrollment program, floor amendment narrows cap to one nonresident student
Summary
After a lengthy debate and a floor amendment, voters approved an opt-in to RSA 194-D open enrollment for the high school but limited incoming nonresident admissions to a single student; proponents cited budget stability and legal exposure, opponents warned of local-control loss.
Voters at the Hollis/Brookline Cooperative School District annual meeting voted to opt into the state's open-enrollment program (RSA 194-D) for Hollis Brookline High School, but the article was amended on the floor to limit new nonresident admissions to one student before final approval.
The school board presented the article as a protective measure after recent court interpretations and state-level developments that could otherwise expose the district to unexpected tuition costs if students leave. The board emphasized that opting into RSA 194-D while placing a low cap on nonresident admissions is intended to preserve budget stability and local program capacity.
During debate, a petition from the floor moved to tighten the proposal. Joe Garuba (who proposed the amendment) and others argued that a lower cap would reduce traffic impacts and avoid displacing resident students from limited-course sections (for example, unique AP classes). Supporters of the board position said the district aimed to balance limited openings for others with priority for resident students and teachers' children.
The amendment reduced the proposed nonresident cap from four to one student (and clarified singular phrasing for per-grade language); the body approved the amendment, and the article as amended carried on final vote. The moderator stated the article passed after the amendment was adopted.
What this means: The district will post the open-enrollment policy and implement admissions processes consistent with RSA 194-D and the newly adopted limit; the superintendent's office and enrollment staff were directed to publish the policy and explain operational details to the public.
Quotes: "This preserves budget stability because we're not funding students to leave another district," the board's presenter said, noting the district's intent to control fiscal exposure.
Next steps: Administration will finalize the admissions procedures and publicize capacity limits and application steps. Any future changes to the cap can be revisited at later meetings.
