NH School Scoop - June 3, 2025
The NH legislation session is closing soon but important bills are left to consider, federal education cuts are looming, and the Scoop highlights several student wins this week.
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📜 The New Hampshire legislative session is coming to a close. But several essential bills are making their way through the process:
The NH Senate and House have nearly identical voucher bills, HB 115 and SB 295 that eliminate the income cap for families.
Similarly, the NH House and Senate are debating similar “parental bill of rights” bills, SB 72 and HB 10.
In an bill with bipartisan support, the full House is about to vote on SB 206, which would require school districts to develop a policy banning cellphones.
An amendment to SB 54 would require firearms safety training in all public schools. The House is about to vote on this legislation.
Meanwhile, emotions ran high Wednesday when Kingston Representative Kenneth Weyler called NH School Boards “corrupt.”
(Thanks to NEA-NH for some of this material.)
💰 We have more information on what’s in the Trump Administration’s budget for education: (potential paywall.)
Overall, expect a 15% decrease in education funding.
An additional $60 million will support charter schools.
Level funding is expected for special education and support for low-income students.
Support for migrant students will be eliminated, as well as funding for prison education.
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) will be equal-funded but will be distributed differently to the states.
In budget trouble: English learners’ funding, education research (2/3 of the federal budget eliminated for research), educator professional development, school safety, rural schools, and services for Native Alaskan and Hawaiian students.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) will continue, but its funding will be reduced.
Meanwhile, what could the cuts mean for NH students?
🎓 NH TRIO programs support college students from lower-income families and those who are first-generation students. And, these programs may be cut. The NH Federal delegation recently sent a letter expressing their thoughts in support of TRIO to the USDOE Secretary and the head of the Office of Management and Budget.
🏛️ Trump’s appointee for Deputy Secretary of Education is much more conventional than her likely boss, Linda McMahon. Penny Schwinn, the former head of Tennessee Schools, has received praise from both sides of the aisle, as Schwinn has been a history teacher, principal, charter school founder, and champion of the science of reading in the Volunteer State. She will be appearing before the US Senate this Thursday. Schwinn and the state commissioner in Mississippi wrote this op-ed last year in support of reading research and development.
🏅 Extra Credit:
The Bedford School District has adopted a new policy banning deepfakes.
HB 667’s supporters believe that if signed by the Governor, students in grades 6-12 will learn more about sex education. Opponents of the bill state that the bill is designed to discourage abortion.
The NH Senate agrees to fund the University System of NH at a higher rate than the House. Will it be enough?
The decision to keep state programs in or out of the budget may depend on a legislator’s prediction of the state’s economic outlook. Some Democrats are feeling more positive and believe the New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate position can remain. Cassandra Sanchez, the state child advocate, doesn’t think the position can exist without substantial funding.
Over a thousand NH students participate in Head Start programs in 32 locations across the state. This 60-year-old program is facing a $1 billion federal cut.
The national, nonprofit School Nutrition Association has named Lauren Crowley, SNS, Dining Services Director for Litchfield School District, the Northeast Region Director of the Year. (potential paywall.)
Budget shortfalls seem to be happening to many districts. Now, Claremont is dealing with a $2 million school budget deficit. (potential paywall.)
The full New Hampshire Senate will vote on the state budget this Thursday. The NH School Funding Fairness Project has a petition calling on the legislature to take action on school funding. Click here for more information.
NH Teens may have trouble finding summer jobs given the economic uncertainty due to potential tariffs.
👩🎓 Student Wins:
Do you want to combat racism in NH schools? Empower students to express their voice and take the lead. The Center for School Climate and Learning (CSCL) from Candia, NH, is working with staff and students at Timberlane Middle School in Plaistow ,and already it’s making a difference. (Full disclosure: the Scoop editor has worked for CSCL.)
Tiana Brown, NH’s State Youth of the Year, thanks the Boys and Girls Club of Nashua for being a big piece of her success.
Laconia High School’s Valedictorian, Kendora Harper, will already have earned an Associate’s Degree by graduation. How is that possible?
UNH hosted the “Community Changemaker Challenge” on May 16 and invited all NH students to the annual event. Twenty-nine teams presented their projects to “provide a transformative experience for both students and teachers.” According to an organizer, 50% of students address environmental issues, while 25% look into social problems. (potential paywall.)
ConVal students, like many high school students across the state, regularly participate in extended learning opportunities. These students had the opportunity to showcase their expertise at a Celebration of Learning on Thursday night. (potential paywall.)
Every year, students and bus drivers participate in evacuation drills, empowering the older students to lead in the case of an emergency. On Thursday, two Manchester Memorial students quickly came to the aid of their bus driver in distress.
📖 Picks of the Week:
Skillfully implementing formative assessment is one of the most effective techniques we can utilize as teachers. Here are 15 hacks to boost student learning.
The most intense streaming drama my wife and I have watched in the last few months has been Netflix’s Adolescence. The show is riveting, disturbing, and not for the faint of heart. It doesn’t get everything right either.
