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Committee reviews S214 to let NEK Choice students use nearby New Hampshire public pre-K with a short waiver
Summary
The Senate Education Committee reviewed an amendment to permit NEK Choice School District children in Essex County to access New Hampshire public prekindergarten programs within 25 miles of the border, and asked legislative counsel to draft a brief committee amendment and waiver process for committee consideration.
Deputy Commissioner Jana Mclofflin of the Department for Children and Families told the Senate Education Committee on March 10 that state and agency officials have proposed a narrowed approach to S214 aimed specifically at the NEK Choice School District in Essex County. She said the change would allow children enrolled in that district to attend public prekindergarten programs in New Hampshire when those programs are within 25 miles of the Vermont border and local options are impractical.
The change retains a short waiver requirement so the state can preserve visibility into what is being offered in New Hampshire and document any differences from Vermont standards. "We would keep the idea of applying for a waiver in there…a very simple, not lengthy process but more like a documentation of what the alternative standard is," Deputy Commissioner Jana Mclofflin said.
Why it matters: Committee members and local board members said the amendment responds to the geographic reality in parts of Essex County, where cross-border schooling is often the practical choice. Sharon Ellingwood, a NEK Choice School District board member, read testimony saying the amendment is "a practical and efficient way to create access for students in areas of the NEK Choice School District" and warned that delayed early milestones can increase later special-education costs for families and taxpayers.
Committee questions focused on scope and implementation. Members asked whether children outside the NEK Choice School District would be left out and whether New Hampshire public schools could accommodate Vermont students. Agency witnesses said many Vermont pre-K slots are currently in private programs and that starting with public New Hampshire schools simplifies qualification and avoids complicating eligibility rules for K-only schools.
Next steps: Legislative counsel confirmed the condensed language could be used as a committee amendment. The committee asked counsel to draft that amendment and aimed to place the item on the calendar for a possible vote the following day or by Thursday; a clean draft was requested to be available to members prior to any formal action.
No formal floor-level statutes, appropriation amounts, or a finalized waiver form were adopted during this meeting; the committee asked staff and counsel to produce a draft committee amendment that will clarify procedure and implementation details before a decision is recorded.
