HB1121

HB 1121, sponsored by four Republicans, if passed would do a grave injustice to many of our public school students. While the Courts have ruled that the state government has NOT created a funding mechanism that would help those schools that are situated in property poor towns or cities. Thus, I vehemently OPPOSE such a devious bill. Hey, Republicans how about helping our students in property poor towns who can't compete against the Bedfords, Windhams, Newington, etc. Donthe rightnthing for our kids and their teachers.

Providing an adequate education for all of NH's children benefits all citizens and the most effective way to fairly provide good (or better than good) education for all NH children is through our public school system. The legislature should be doing all it can to protect and improve the quality of education for all NH public school students, not slowly tearing public schools apart and increasing the tax burden on property owners. Perhaps a better effort would be to reduce the number of SAUs in the state.

Please do not carve more out of public education. The state should welcome young families by fully supporting schools, as a strong education system will increase property values and our communities.

I oppose this bill as it's a dodge to shirk the obligations of the state and push the burden down to local taxpayers. It will disproportionately affect poorer towns and groups like seniors on a fixed income or younger people.

Limiting public education is not good.

I oppose HB. 1121

Our state elected officials need to be reminded that providing education isn't as simple as a providing a teacher, a desk, and textbooks. A fully functional school provides meals, education supports, physical and mental care, while engaging young people in a variety of subject areas. A public school is not just a building, it is so much more and provides more than just reading, writing and math skills. An adequate education would prepare our young people to be thoughtful, engaged and prepared adults able to function and contribute to our community. First, I'd like to point out that all public schools are required to have a Wellness Committee per NH ED 306.04(a)(20) and Health Education programing per NH ED 306.40, and physical education per NH 306.04(a)(20). Multiple state and federal laws also require nutritional programs and food services. How can it be that the food and wellness programs required to be provided by state law are NOT considered part of an adequate education? These are only two aspects of education that are currently being "debated" as part of an adequate education. The state of NH needs to stop shirking its responsibility to fund an equitable and adequate education to all NH children!

New Hampshire ranks dead last in the nation for state funding for public education. It has been found to be unconstitutionally low three times since 1999. Cutting state funding for public education even further is beyond foolish.

HB1121 narrows the definition of adequacy, allows the state to pay less, and leaves it to local taxpayers to pay needed essentials. Please vote against this bill. Thank you.

Please do not take any more funding from education! More people are negatively affected by the practice of reducing educationalfunding overall then less.

I oppose this bill. It is another blatant attempt to change the law so the state can continue to underfund schools in NH. This is shameful, and does not serve the best interest of our students and our state.

Could you all just STOP trying to make our children dumber! Stop changing how an adequate education defined and reducing what little monies come to the towns from the state. How about one of you put in a bill that actually has the state pay the ACTUAL AMOUNTS that it SHOULD BE PAYING to our communities and help us lower our property tax bills? You could even raise the business tax or room and meals tax to help out local homeowners and tax payers in NH. Stop trying to break our government.

I oppose HB1121 as it narrows the definition of adequacy thus reducing access to needed services and adding the responsibility of paying for needed services to local taxpayers. It's the state's responsibility to provide an above adequate education to everyone in the public school system.

This bill restricts what is included in the definition of an adequate education. This bill is nothing more than a way for the state to justify contributing less than what is already the lowest amount across the US. Race to the bottom? Destroy public education? Burden local property tax with larger public school contributions? Deepen the education gap in property poor towns? Deepen the wealth gap? Check all of the above. ITL this terrible legislation.

Libraries should be controlled by the people and not by the government--to preserve critical thinking and avoid authoritarianism.

This bill narrows the definition of "adequacy," and would allow the state to pay less and leaving local taxpayers to pick up the tab for essentials like nurses and transportation. Vehemently oppose.

Also part of an adequate education are books, paper, pencils, art supplies. Also the people who provide the support necessary to ensure an adequate education for all students -- including educational associates; occupational therapists, speech pathologists, etc.

Another horrible bill for New Hampshire public education funding. Our state pays the lowest amount in all 50 states for our kids education. Oppose this bill so that the state doesn’t cut it some more. Come on legislators and Governor Ayotte, get off your asses and support the kids of New Hampshire instead of big corporations.

The state needs to fund education at the required levels and stop passing the responsibility to towns and cities and ultimately tax payers. We need to stop placing all of the burden on homeowners and renters. This is a terrible bill and will price people out of their homes and devastate public education.

Downshifting the State’s responsibility to fund local schools by spiking our property taxes to fill the gap that lack of financial support creates is unacceptable to me. My State Reps and State Senator who may support this Bill will not get my vote in the future. And…I vote and am vocal about my concerns.

Changing the law to suit your own financial needs is shameful. Every child deserves the same opportunity.

Strongly oppose

Oppose!

I strongly oppose further limiting what counts as an "adequate" education. The courts have ruled on this issue repeatedly and frankly legislation like this reads as an attempt to weasel out of actually supporting public education in New Hampshire. As a product of New Hampshire's public schools who went to a highly selective college, I know that our state's education system can work when supported, but this state legislature continues to hem and haw rather than offer those supports. I urge you to vote Inexpedient to Legislate on this bill.

Please oppose HB1121. New Hampshire's courts have ruled again and again and again and again ad infinitum the state has a constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education... it's way past the time for the state to start meeting that constitutional obligation. New Hampshire's property taxpayers have been paying the state's unpaid share of local education costs resulting in New Hampshire's property taxpayers paying the 4th highest property tax rates in the country! Please vote HB 1121 Inexpedient to Legislate. Thank you.