On Thursday, January 30, the House Education Funding Committee will hold public hearings on two important bills that aim to improve special education funding in New Hampshire.
If you cannot attend the hearings in person, you can still make your voice heard. Use our advocacy tool to email the committee with 1 click and tell them that you support the State taking on a bigger share of special education funding.
Email the Committee with 1 Click
HB 742 seeks to “require catastrophic special education state aid funding to be drawn from the education trust fund.” This means that all qualified reimbursements would be paid out by the State to school districts, instead of prorating the repayment amounts when the cap is reached.
HB 603 proposes to “increase the adequacy grant for pupils receiving special education services.” Currently the State only provides $2,142 per student who receives special education services, while the actual average additional cost of these services is $29,556. This bill would shift who is paying for these critical services from local property taxpayers to the State, enabling local districts to focus on providing an inclusive education that meets the needs of all students.
Read our report on how special education is funded in New Hampshire to learn more.
Over 30,000 students received special education services last year in our public schools. These legislative initiatives are vital for ensuring that all students, regardless of their abilities, have access to quality education and the necessary resources to succeed.
