NHSFFP issued the following statement on April 11 following the House votes on HB 1583 and HB 1656.
Today, the House of Representative passed two school funding bills, HB 1583 and HB 1656, sending them over to the Senate. These bills will increase the State’s total contribution to local school districts by about $120 million over the next two years, with most of the money being targeted at students and schools with the highest needs
“Both these bills received bipartisan support today, despite speeches wrongly suggesting that increases to public school funding is not needed right now,” said Zack Sheehan, NHSFFP Executive Director. “While these bills certainly do not solve our school funding inequities in New Hampshire, they are absolutely a step in the right direction and would provide much needed support to some of our communities and school districts who need it most. I look forward to continuing to support these bills in the NH Senate.”
HB 1583 (passed 205-177) increases base adequacy from $4,100 to $4,404 per pupil and adds over $60 million in targeted aid, divided between fiscal capacity disparity aid, which directs funds to communities with lower property values, and funding for districts with higher proportions of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch.
HB 1656 (349-26) increases State special education funding by $17.5 million and changes that funding by introducing categories, so students with more intensive needs receive more funding. An amendment which would have increased the amount to $35 million, as recommended by the bipartisan school funding subcommittee, failed on a tie vote.