Education

signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 16, 2026

HB 1573: permitting excused absences for student participation in certain activities and mandating the state board of education to grant school reassignment requests for students demonstrating a manifest educational hardship

HB 1573 allows New Hampshire public and charter school students to have absences excused for attending civic events (like government meetings or community hearings) or career/technical education (CTE) events (such as FFA, SkillsUSA, or DECA competitions). Schools must excuse up to two absences per 45-day period for these activities, requiring parental notice at least two school days in advance (except for election days) and proof of attendance. The bill also directs the state board of education to develop rules for awarding alternative academic credit toward graduation requirements for participation in these events. This applies specifically to students in grades K-12 at public and charter schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows excused absences for CTE/civic events, enhancing student access to educational programs without restricting participation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education K-12 Education School Choice

in committee · New Hampshire · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SB 604: making an appropriation to the university system of New Hampshire.

SB 604 appropriates $14 million to New Hampshire's University System for fiscal year 2027 to restore funding reduced in 2025, and $3.5 million to the Community College System to maintain a freeze on credit-hour tuition rates. The bill directly affects public universities and community colleges in the state, providing concrete funding for operations and tuition stability. It authorizes the governor to draw these funds from the General Fund, effective July 1, 2026, with no additional revenue impact.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRestores $14M university funding and maintains $3.5M for tuition freeze, directly increasing public education appropriations and stabilizing costs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRestores $14M university funding and freezes community college tuition, directly advancing higher education financial stability and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Higher Education

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in committee · New Hampshire · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 407: making an appropriation for each full-time student eligible for the in-state tuition rate enrolled in the university system of New Hampshire.

SB 407 appropriates $300 per full-time, in-state eligible student enrolled in New Hampshire's university system starting in fiscal year 2027, to reduce in-state tuition costs. It applies to students who qualify for in-state tuition rates and requires annual calculation of eligible students on October 1. The total annual appropriation is capped at $5.4 million, with funds drawn from the General Fund and non-lapsing (carrying over if unused). This bill directly affects in-state undergraduate students at the University System of New Hampshire by providing state funding to lower their tuition expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $5.4M from General Fund to reduce in-state tuition costs, funding essential education program with fiscal cap.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill appropriates $300/student to reduce in-state tuition costs for university students, directly funding higher education access and affordability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 1104: modifying the priority of applications for school building aid grants.

HB 1104 changes how New Hampshire school districts and chartered public schools are ranked for building aid grants. It removes the previous rule that automatically prioritized applications from the prior year that didn't receive funding due to budget limits, as well as applications with "critical needs" (like unsafe conditions). Instead, all applications will now be ranked solely based on the standard scoring criteria outlined in the law, including factors like unsafe facilities, overcrowding, ADA compliance, and school district fiscal capacity. This change affects every school district applying for building aid grants by altering the ranking process used to determine funding order.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves automatic priority for critical needs (unsafe facilities) in grant ranking, potentially delaying essential school infrastructure funding by requiring all applications to compete under standard criteria.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1803: rendering a recipient of an education tax credit scholarship ineligible to receive education freedom account funds in the same program year.

HB 1803 prohibits students from receiving both education tax credit scholarships (under RSA 77-G:2) and education freedom account funds (under RSA 194-F:2) in the same program year. This directly affects students currently using or eligible for both programs, requiring them to choose one funding source per year. The bill also removes an additional $2,036 grant for the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS) when students in either program enroll part-time, shifting tuition responsibility to families. These changes aim to prevent duplicate funding and adjust state payments for specific school enrollments.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRestricts dual funding for education programs, removing $2,036 grant for VLACS during part-time enrollment, limiting fiscal options and defunding overlapping programs.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts dual funding access by prohibiting combined use of tax credit scholarships and freedom accounts, limiting educational financial options for students.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New Hampshire · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1288: relative to enabling school administrative units to adopt budget caps.

HB 1288 allows New Hampshire school administrative units to set annual budget caps for their operations. The cap is calculated using the previous year's overhead cost per student (adjusted for inflation via a standard index) multiplied by average daily student enrollment across all member districts. If a school district's proposed budget exceeds this cap, voters must approve an override with a 3/5 majority vote; otherwise, the cap amount automatically becomes the adopted budget. This applies to any school administrative unit that chooses to adopt the cap, directly affecting how school budgets are set and approved within those units.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill imposes school budget caps requiring voter approval for overages, restricting government spending without additional funding.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill imposes budget caps requiring voter approval for increases, limiting school funding flexibility and preventing automatic budget growth without override votes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding

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passed · New Hampshire · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 583: directing the department of education to create an education funding transparency data and reporting system.

SB 583 directs New Hampshire's Department of Education to create a public education funding transparency system tracking how state education dollars are allocated, disbursed, and spent over the past decade at the school, district, and intermediate unit levels. The system must include data visualization dashboards for state officials (like the legislature and governor) and public-facing tools showing aggregate, non-identifiable funding data. Key features require the system to integrate diverse data sources, ensure strict privacy compliance (including de-identified data and small cell suppression), and support advanced analytics for forecasting and program evaluation. The bill appropriates $900,000 for system creation and $500,000 annually for maintenance starting in 2027.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates transparency system for education funding allocation/spending, enhancing accountability without defunding. Strengthens school funding oversight per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 1093: relative to public charter schools and governmental land use exemptions.

HB 1093 modifies New Hampshire's building code and school construction funding to treat public charter schools equally with traditional public schools. The bill extends full compliance with state building and fire codes to charter schools (as defined under RSA 194-B) and makes them eligible for the same state construction aid grants as school districts. Specifically, it revises building code language to include charter school facilities and updates funding rules to calculate grants for charters using the same formulas applied to school districts. This change ensures charter schools can access state construction funding and meet the same safety standards as other public schools.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends state construction aid grants to charter schools, increasing public school funding eligibility under budget appropriations for facility compliance.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends state construction aid grants and building code compliance to charter schools, equalizing funding access for school infrastructure and facilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

passed both · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 578: relative to play-based curriculum and limitations on recess periods for pupils.

SB 578 requires all public schools to provide daily recess for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, expanding current requirements. It mandates play-based learning for kindergarten through third grade and explicitly prohibits withholding recess as punishment for misbehavior or incomplete schoolwork. The bill defines recess as unstructured outdoor play (when safe), separate from physical education classes. This law applies to all public schools in the state, directly affecting K-8 students and school policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates daily recess for K-8, requires play-based learning for K-3, and prohibits using recess as punishment, directly strengthening student well-being and educational programs in K-12 schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Student Health

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1826: relative to the cost of an opportunity for an adequate education.

HB 1826 increases New Hampshire's per-pupil funding rate for public schools starting in 2027, raising the base cost from $4,100 to $4,438 per student. It also adjusts differentiated aid for specific student groups: increasing free/reduced lunch support from $2,300 to $2,441 per qualifying student, English language learners from $800 to $866, and special education services from $2,100 to $3,203 per student. This bill directly affects all public school districts in New Hampshire, particularly those serving students who qualify for these targeted supports. The fiscal note estimates it will increase state education spending by approximately $27 million annually starting in fiscal year 2028, primarily through the Education Trust Fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases per-pupil funding ($4,100→$4,438) and differentiated aid for schools, directly raising state education budget allocations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases per-pupil funding ($4,100→$4,438) and differentiated aid for all specified student groups, directly advancing school funding priorities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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