Mayor Matt Gerding

The story behind ProPublica’s new Private School Demographics database began with our need to understand how many “segregation academies” still operate — and where.

By @jenniferberryhawes.bsky.social

Despite Republican legislative majorities, passing universal education freedom accounts – an idea strongly opposed by Democrats – is no guarantee. And even Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte is pumping the brakes slightly. From @ethandewitt.bsky.social #NHPolitics https://buff.ly/4jkhVhK

The NHGOP tax cuts for the wealthy are now coming to roost…with the new GOP Governor

#NHPolitics

Kearsarge voters overwhelmingly reject proposed school budget cap The final tally was 1,435 to 113.

Voters want their local public schools well-funded. They recognize the benefits to their children, the opportunities that are provided, and the positive impacts on the community.

It’s a shame the state doesn’t see the value that we all do

www.nhpr.org/education/20...

Naked Parrot

Thanks to @thimblelitmag.bsky.social for publishing my poem, “Naked Parrot,” in her fall issue! You can read it here 👇

www.thimblelitmag.com/2024/10/10/n...

State, school districts spar at Supreme Court hearing over school funding • New Hampshire Bulletin New Hampshire’s Supreme Court has long been clear: The state is constitutionally required to provide an “adequate” education to its resident students.

The state claims that they are only responsible for the statutorily outlined requirements for education. How convenient

But as far as I understand it, statute doesn’t determine or override constitutional requirements - it’s the other way around

#NHPolitics

newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/12/16/s...

Oh very cool! Love this!

Editor’s Notebook: The endgame of New Hampshire’s ‘education freedom accounts’ • New Hampshire Bulletin When the new legislative session kicks off next month, it’s a sure bet that New Hampshire lawmakers will spend a good chunk of time debating school vouchers.

My latest: newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/12/03/e...

Here’s the text of the federal voucher bill they’re working off to fold into reconciliation in January.

It’s a love child between a garden variety wealthy tax shelter and a typical voucher subsidy.

Eligibility up to 300% of *local median income*
www.congress.gov/bill/118th-c...

A significant source of funds for the state budget - interest and dividends tax - is slated to be cut out by the NHGOP, creating a sizable revenue hole.

Don’t be surprised if you see Ayotte & the NHGOP cut important programs and funding for education to balance her budget

#NHPolitics

Guarantee the NHDOE’s upcoming cuts to special education won’t help.

#NHPolitics

Yup, not happy at all

#NHPolitics

Your post got me thinking this morning, and I wrote the following post because of it. Thanks for the prompt 😁

bsky.app/profile/matt...

It’s feels daunting to see something so critical begin to crumble before your eyes

So how do you help?
📌run for school board or state office
📌join the PTA
📌volunteers to help your school
📌donate materials to teachers
📌talk about the importance of schools at your 3rd places
📌vote pro-school

9/

New Hampshire school districts face major special education funding shortfall • New Hampshire Bulletin New Hampshire school districts will be hit with a spike in costs for special education this year due to higher than usual costs per student, according to the state Department of Education.

This threat is real and imminent here in NH; we are contending with dramatic funding cuts to special ed, which will harm students that need the most support, further disenfranchise parents, & widen cracks in our belief in a free & fair education for all

8/

newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/11/15/n...

The loss of federal & state funding for education & the downshifting to local municipalities also destabilizes our schools.

Fewer resources harm all students & communities with lesser means struggle even more. Already tough decision become near-impossible & key student opportunities are cut

7/

Many argue that vouchers are a response to “failing schools,” however, by allowing parents to flee their public schools on a whim, rather than step up, engage with their community, & work to make improvements that benefit all, we will only perpetuate a system of “failure” & discontent

6/

The biggest threat to community schools, as I see it now, are vouchers

Not only do vouchers pull funds from schools, they also fracture communities of students & homogenize learning by allowing parents to segregate students at their own will, rather than participate in the community

5/

However, I fear that 2nd places are now at risk of atrophy as well. Thinking specifically about schools, there are many converging challenges that are threatening the success of our community schools; the places where our kids learn, grown, & develop into productive members of society

4/

A lot of research, for years in fact, has studied the loss of 3rd places due to technology, social media, diminishing charity & volunteerism - & the impact of this loss on our ability to engage in healthy discourse as a society, thus isolating & fracturing social groups even further

3/

But what are these “places?”
A longstanding sociological theory suggests that humans structure society into 3 distinct places…

1st: home
2nd: work &/or school
3rd: places where people relax in public (bars, restaurants, parks, etc.)

Each have their own benefits towards a healthy society

2/

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the loss of “3rd places” & what it means for children, their development, community health, & belonging. But I can’t shake the fear that this degradation of pro-social behavior has rotted out another even more important rung on the social ladder

1/

Segregation Academies in Mississippi Are Benefiting From Public Dollars, as They Did in the 1960s ProPublica identified 20 schools in the state that likely opened as segregation academies and have received almost $10 million over the past six years from the state’s tax credit donation program.

The key in this @propublica.org
series isn’t that all voucher schools today are segregationist now

(though many retain de facto segregation)

It’s that vouchers were born in and still reflect a bitter policy legacy of separating and isolating children by design.
www.propublica.org/article/miss...

State Agency Budget Requests Identify $16.9 Billion in Priorities for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027 - New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute

If you’re looking for more info on what state agencies requested, click the link and take a read

nhfpi.org/blog/state-a...

This upcoming state budget is bound to be difficult for cities, towns, and schools. Register 👇 to learn more about the challenges and decisions that lawmakers will face this winter/spring, and how that may impact you at the local level

#NHPolitics

The “switchers” are outlined in the data sheet linked in the article

Look closer at the latest Education Freedom Account growth in N.H. - The Boston Globe Hundreds of students typically join the voucher-like program after the beginning of each school year, so if that pattern continues, enrollment could grow by another 10 percent.

Reminder: only 36% of the $27.7M in NH vouchers are for students switching from public school to priv/homeschool

64% is spent on students ALREADY NOT in public school

🔈The data speaks volumes🔈
Vouchers are more often used to funnel public $ to private hands

www.bostonglobe.com/2024/11/15/m...

And here I thought this would be a friendly, comfortable place for all ideas. But this, THIS, is too far. Is Bluesky dead now?

New Hampshire schools told to expect less state aid for special education costs Local school leaders say that because they have no discretion over special education costs, they’ll have to consider asking taxpayers to cover that loss of state aid or discuss cutting teaching positi...

The state is required to cover costs - all students should receive the services they require to meet their needs! The Edelblut+Ayotte budget will harm students immensely!

And to tell parents to put kids in private schools & use voucher money is unacceptable

#NHPolitics
www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2024...

New Hampshire schools told to expect less state aid for special education costs Local school leaders say that because they have no discretion over special education costs, they’ll have to consider asking taxpayers to cover that loss of state aid or discuss cutting teaching positi...

NH Dept of Ed won't pay mandated education costs but have plenty of $$ for voucher schemes giving free taxpayer money to those already in private or homeschool. W/no checks on where $$ goes, how it's spent, for fraud, or for impacts on educational achievement #NHPolitics
www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2024...