Earlier this week, the House Education Committee voted to not recommend HB 1680 for future legislation. Following the vote on this bill, which was focused on strengthening our education funding system and providing property tax relief, the NH School Funding Fairness Project (NHSFFP) is releasing the following statement: 

“Our school funding system is not working for students or taxpayers, and the legislature should be more open to proposals that help alleviate the disproportionate property tax burdens being downshifted on communities across the state. Given these inequities, in addition to the two ongoing lawsuits, it is beyond frustrating that the House Education Committee would not recommend future legislation to address our education funding system,” said Zack Sheehan, NHSFFP Project Director. “This vote shows just how critical it is that Granite Staters demand the legislature work to honestly and urgently address this issue in the upcoming legislative session.” 

HB 1680 came as a result of the recommendations of the Commission to Study School Funding, which found in its final report that students in different communities around New Hampshire do not have access to the same educational opportunities, largely as a result of the heavy reliance on local property taxes that forces some taxpayers to pay much higher rates to achieve similar outcomes at their local schools. 

While the Commission did not make a specific recommendation on how best to address the issues with the school funding model, HB 1680 was rooted in its findings and would have made improvements in making school funding more equitable for taxpayers and for students in the classroom. 

“I want to thank the representatives who have put in a lot of time and energy into advancing this proposal. I hope that despite the committee recommendation, they will file legislation for the coming session that addresses school funding and the property tax disparities our current funding model has created,” Sheehan said. 

* * * * * * * * 

The mission of the NHSFFP, a registered 501(c)(3), is to inform the public about the condition of New Hampshire public schools and their funding; to advocate for changes to make the system more equitable for students and taxpayers alike; and, if necessary, to prosecute, manage, control, and/or participate in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the system for funding education in New Hampshire. 

For all press inquiries, please contact Noah Telerski at ntelerski@fairfundingnh.org