Education

This bill allows New Hampshire parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state, regardless of where the family lives. It removes the requirement that children attend the school assigned to their resident district and makes all public schools "open enrollment" schools. The bill requires school districts to post school capacity information online, report on transfer applications, and establish policies for student transfers. Funding for students transferring to a different district will be based on the resident district's average cost per pupil, with potential additional costs borne by parents. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

HB 1610 would allow New Hampshire school districts to retain unused general funds at the end of each fiscal year for the next year, instead of returning them to taxpayers. The bill limits retained funds to 2.5% of the district's annual property tax revenue and requires school boards to hold a public hearing before using the funds. Districts must also provide an annual public report detailing how the retained funds were spent. This change modifies existing law to give school districts ongoing flexibility for managing unanticipated expenses.

SB 430 requires school employees (like teachers) to respond honestly and completely to written requests from parents about their child's education within 10 business days. It directly affects parents seeking information and school staff who must provide it. The bill includes an exception: if full disclosure risks a student's immediate harm, staff must report to child welfare authorities within 48 hours and may withhold only that specific information. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and requires the state board of education to update educator ethics rules by June 2027.

HB 1792 prohibits New Hampshire public schools and staff from teaching critical race theory, LGBTQ+ ideologies, or specific identity-based pedagogies that the bill defines as promoting division or anti-constitutional views. It specifically bans practices like requiring students to identify "oppressors" based on race/gender, prioritizing identity over shared values, or affirming non-binary gender identities as normative. The bill creates a private right of action, allowing parents or students to sue schools for violations. It explicitly excludes factual, neutral instruction on history or events. The law aims to preserve "neutral or patriotic" education while restricting certain teaching methods deemed divisive.

HB 112 requires students at New Hampshire's public universities and community colleges to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services civics naturalization test (a 128-question test with a 70% passing score) to graduate, starting January 1, 2026. It applies to all students admitted or transferring after that date, excluding exchange students and foreign nationals. Institutions must establish procedures to administer, certify, and track test results, with costs estimated at $200,000-$1,000,000 annually covered by school operating funds. The bill does not provide state funding and exempts non-U.S. students, focusing solely on a graduation requirement for domestic students.