Bill > HB772

This bill establishes a new foundation opportunity budget program for funding public education in New Hampshire, fundamentally redesigning the state's approach to education funding. The bill defines a constitutionally adequate education as providing students with an opportunity to achieve a statewide average performance level, regardless of where they live. It creates a new funding model that uses an education cost model to estimate total spending needed for each school district, taking into account factors like student needs, geographic price variations, and district size. The funding will be calculated using a weighted average daily membership (ADMR) that considers factors such as students eligible for free and reduced lunch, English language learners, and special education students. The bill introduces a universal base foundation opportunity cost of $7,031 per student, with provisions for periodic review and adjustment. To ease the transition, the bill includes a multi-year phase-in period with transition grants for municipalities that might see reduced funding. Additionally, the bill expands reporting requirements for school districts, introduces measures to address persistent achievement disparities, and includes provisions for property tax relief for low and moderate-income homeowners. The new funding system aims to create a more equitable approach to education funding that provides consistent opportunities for students across different communities in New Hampshire.

Education

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0791&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB772