NH School Scoop – April 29, 2025
The EDies will be held on June 7 this year, NH generously funds education but the money is not coming from state coffers, and K-12 schools' approach to DEI continues to be controversial.
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🍎 Every June, NH celebrates educators who work to support our children in schools from Pittsburg to Peterborough, and Hampton to Hanover. The NH Excellence in Education Awards (EDies) have announced their full list of winners, and Amie Pariseau, EDies Project Manager, sent this list to the Scoop. Congratulations everyone!
💸 While NH spends more per public school student than just five other states (New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut), the Granite State contributes the smallest share of state dollars and the largest share of local dollars per student of all 50 states. According to the report, this lack of funding leads to disparities in funding education from town to town.
✍️ President Trump has signed additional executive orders related to US schools. Three new orders are critical: prioritizing artificial intelligence in K-12 schools, challenging college and university certification, and reversing Obama-era guidance on racial bias in school discipline.
⚖️ The Attorneys General of 19 states are suing the Trump Administration over its desire to end DEI initiatives. These states refused to comply with a USDOE directive to adhere to the Administration’s anti-DEI wishes.
🤝 As reported last week in a special edition of the NH School Scoop, a federal judge in New Hampshire limited the Trump Administration’s power to withhold funds from public schools using DEI practices. Since then, two other federal judges have delivered similar decisions. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s education chief promises to withhold federal funds from schools in his state that don’t certify that they are not using DEI practices.
🎯 Extra Credit
From friends of the Scoop: NHASCD, Lakes Region Community College, and the Lakes Region Chamber are sponsoring a Mental Health Symposium on May 22 with a keynote address from Judge John Broderick. Click here for more information.
The Manchester School District is facing some heat from sharing with students DEI professional development materials meant for teachers. (potential paywall.)
This is bad news for educators who want higher school enrollment: NH’s birth rate hit an all-time low.
Many NH districts, like Manchester, that are facing budget shortfalls, are instituting “pay for play” programs for student athletes.
US NH Senator Jeanne Sheehan criticized President Trump for cutting Head Start.
Interested in who is speaking at college and university graduations this year?
Here’s a positive initiative: Project Happy connects high school students with volunteer opportunities.
Epping High School uses a creative technique to remind its student drivers to be safe on the roads.
Have you seen Netflix’s “Adolescence?” It’s not for the faint of heart, but no current show does a better job of sizing up the stressors on young people in 2025. (potential paywall.)
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Manchester School District is developing a mental health discussion.
Two NH Superintendents are leaving their posts this month. Sanborn Regional School District chief Thomas Ambrose is resigning over the criminal case of a Kingston Elementary School teacher. In addition, Grantham Superintendent Lisa Walker is resigning amidst what she sees as a significant shift in parent anger toward educators. The NH School Scoop has learned that Interim Superintendent Christine Downing, the current Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, will replace her. (Thanks to the Manchester Union Leader and the Concord Monitor.)
McCarthy Middle School’s nurse Jeana Lopez-Carrasco believes that being a school nurse is much more than passing out band-aids. She has been named the New Hampshire School Nurses’ Association (NHSNA) School Nurse of the Year.
HB 712 received heated debate last week for a bill that would prohibit transgender medical care to minors.
Will NH’s Child Advocate position survive the budget?
Correction: In last week’s Scoop, we reported that Brendan Schofield helped to create a lacrosse team at Laconia High School. In reality, Brendan is a Belmont High School student. Either way, he’s a remarkable young man. (Thanks to Steve Tucker.)
NH educators are monitoring a Supreme Court case regarding whether students can opt out of specific readings of controversial books.
Congratulations to the students who participated in the first NH High School Civics Essay Contest. The winners were announced last week at the NH Supreme Court.
Criticism was heard in Concord for the latest version of the Education Freedom Account program, HB 115.
When the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts began at the US Department of Education, was the purpose to save money or close the entire department? A federal judge is looking into that question. (potential paywall.)
Cost and liability has moved the Hampton School Board to cancel overnight field trips. Parents are not happy.
📖 Picks of the Week
NH has a strong relationship with Competency-Based Learning. If you’re new to the field and want a solid CBL summary, check out this Cult of Pedagogy podcast and written summary.
Student behavior in our classrooms has become more problematic for many of us after the pandemic. Here are eight subtle but effective classroom management shifts that should make a difference.
