NH School Scoop - December 31, 2024
President Carter's contribution to education, looking ahead to 2025 NH school legislation, and Kearsarge's budget woes.
📰 Front Page
As we celebrate the life of Jimmy Carter, we recall his contribution to schools.
While the Trump administration is considering abolishing the US Department of Education, Carter established the Cabinet-level department in 1979. The founding of the USDOE fulfilled a promise to the National Education Association, a goal they had sought for over a century. Did you know that Jimmy Carter’s first public office was on a school board?
There will be plenty of legislative material for the Scoop in 2025.
Education ranks at the top of all the potential bills for the new legislative session in Concord. Expect debate on education freedom accounts, student transgender issues, cell phones, special education funding, parental rights, and bullying. The Trump administration might weigh in on trans athletes as well.
Is the potential Kearsarge budget cut a harbinger of things to come for other NH school districts?
A group of 35 Kearsarge School District residents are proposing a spending cap of $27,000 per student for the 2026-27 school budget, which is about $7,000 higher than the state average. School officials state that this cap would necessitate a 17% cut to the budget, resulting in 85 staff positions being eliminated and schools being closed. Voters will decide on the potential cut at Kearsarge Regional High School this Saturday. A 3/5 vote is required for the cuts to be part of the budget proposal.
Citing her view on censorship, the Governor rescinds his nomination of Mindy Atwood as State Librarian.
Gov. Sununu’s decision displays how fraught an issue censorship has become in NH, esepcially when Atwood’s views are considered mainstream.
🎯 Extra Credit:
Congrats to the NH Association of Special Education Administrators (NHASEA) and Executive Director Jane Bergeron. NHASEA was awarded the 2024 CASE Exemplary Small State Unit Award.
A new middle school is possible for Concord in 2025. (Paywall)
Newmarket Rep. Ellen Read will be supporting a bill next year increasing the teaching of genocide in K-12. Did you know that Keene State College is one of the few colleges or universities in the country that support a major in holocaust and genocide studies?
This is good news if you’re looking for more students for your school: NH population has risen 2.3% since 2020. However, homelessness is up.
How do NH education freedom accounts affect students in rural areas?
NH received $191 million in federal money to firm up broadband internet across the state. This funding will help increase student internet equity.
More NH children will receive free legal representation next year in abuse and neglect cases. However, a problem is attracting lawyers to take these complex proceedings.
House Democrats have released their Committee Leadership members: Education Policy: Ranking Member: Rep. Patty Cornell (D-Manchester) and Deputy Ranking Member: Rep. Muriel Hall (D-Bow). Education Funding: Ranking Member: Rep. David Luneau (D-Hopkinton) and Deputy Ranking Member: Rep. Hope Damon (D-Croydon). (Thanks to Indepthnh.org).
Check out the NH PBS special Christa, a brief documentary celebrating the life of our very own Christa McAuliffe, who happened to be my cooperating teacher when I was a UNH Student Intern just two years before her fateful voyage in 1986.
Earlier this year, we reported on several NH districts struggling with how to deal with food service debt. Laconia has decided to keep the debt discussion between parents/caregivers and administration and only involve a private student discussion if the child is in high school.
I’ve seen it: elementary students who struggle with their behavior can respond positively to stuffed animals they can hug. A Laconia behavior specialist is looking for donations of such items.
A major educational expectation in 2025 is the resolution of the Conval and Rand decisions regarding NH school funding. No organization is better informed (and balanced) on this issue than the NH School Funding Fairness Project. Their next funding presentation will be held in Newport on January 16. Register to attend right here.
Kudos to the students on Manchester Central’s Robotics team who were deemed to be in the top 1% of all worldwide robotics teams.
This is potentially VERY GOOD news for teachers earning retirement pay.
A recent USDOE letter to chief state school officers highlights the importance of arts education.
Nominations for the 2026 NH Teacher of the Year open up tomorrow. Consider nominating a worthy educator.
Download the latest NH education credentialing newsletter right here.
Nottingham School is struggling with heating failures, which led to an abrupt school closure.
Phase two of Manchester’s school facilities plan was released and could cost taxpayers about a billion dollars, spread over a generation.
Keene State College received a $100,000 Library of Congress grant for teaching disability history in rural communities. The funding will be used to host a 2025 conference to bring teachers and historians to discuss ways to incorporate disability history into K-12 curricula. (Thanks to the Keene Sentinel)
📖 Picks of the Week:
✅ We are just a few weeks away from inaugurating a president who evokes strong emotions from many Americans, including students. New York City schools are asking faculty to stay neutral on political issues, but we all know how difficult that is. A former elementary and middle school teacher and current professor at Brooklyn College has some ideas on how to talk about the ever-changing world of US politics.
✅ Edutopia highlights 2024 from the educators’ perspective. Topics include how to help students self-regulate, dealing with AI (big surprise!), the “reading wars,” cell phones, and more. This may be the most useful article of the year.
✅ A successful first few minutes of a class period can result in a favorable outcome. Check out these eight strategies to engage students right at the outset.
