Committee Summary for House Education Funding (01/31/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
Unclear 00:05:17.039 - 9:04:13 AM	General Working Session	Unclear

Unclear: Chairman Information Only00:05:17.039 - 9:04:13 AM; The chairman opened the session by emphasizing the importance of starting promptly due to time constraints and distributed a short packet containing factual information on IEPs and special education aid. He highlighted the session's focus on discussing the differentiate aid and special education aid components, previously referred to as catastrophic aid. He expressed interest in discussing cost-related information, the delivery of special education services, and the accountability for these services. The chairman also mentioned that questions from the discussion would be recorded and distributed to gather further information before making decisions on related bills.
Unclear: Becky Fad, State Director of Special Education Information Only00:10:42.600 - 9:09:38 AM; Becky Fad, the state director of special education, provided detailed information about the increase in certain disability categories, particularly autism and developmental delay. She explained that autism diagnoses have increased due to a better understanding of the disability, and developmental delay is used for younger students with multiple issues. She also discussed how shifts in categorization do not necessarily change the services provided to students, as IEPs are tailored to individual needs. Fad noted that the department lacks data on why these shifts occur but is planning to analyze existing data with the help of a newly hired data manager.
Unclear: Representative Luna Information Only00:12:15.360 - 9:11:11 AM; Representative Luna discussed the chart showing disability categories over the years, noting the increase in autism and developmental delay diagnoses. He questioned whether changes in diagnostic capabilities might account for the shifts in categories and how these shifts might impact IEP plans. He was informed that while categorization may provide more information about a student's needs, the IEP is developed based on those individual needs, not the category.
Unclear: Representative McGuire Information Only00:19:29.280 - 9:18:25 AM; Representative McGuire inquired about the total number of students over the period covered by the chart, noting a decline in overall enrollment. He also asked about the reasons behind the shifts in disability categories, to which it was suggested that changes in diagnostic methods and understanding of disabilities might be factors.
Unclear: Representative Damon Information Only00:21:19.799 - 9:20:15 AM; Representative Damon asked about the department's ability to gather data on the reasons for shifts in disability numbers. He suggested that better data could inform policy and asked what guidance the department might need from legislators. Fad confirmed the department's intent to improve data analysis with the new data manager and the need for legislative authority to collect additional data.
Unclear: Representative Ames Information Only00:28:36.840 - 9:27:32 AM; Representative Ames inquired about the categorization process, asking if a child would only appear in one category on the chart. Fad confirmed that the chart represents primary disabilities, and a child could have multiple disabilities, but only the primary one is listed. Ames also asked about the process of identifying the primary disability, which Fad explained is determined by the IEP team based on evaluations and the child's needs.
Unclear: Representative Burton Information Only00:32:08.320 - 9:31:04 AM; Representative Burton shared his experience with autism through his work at the Community College Consortium on Autism and Individual Disabilities. He highlighted the challenges in identifying and supporting students with autism and noted the broad spectrum of the disability, which affects how it is identified and managed.
Unclear: Representative Spillsbury Information Only00:34:28.679 - 9:33:24 AM; Representative Spillsbury questioned the use of disability categories for determining state assistance to districts, suggesting that categorization based on time in classroom or out of district might be more useful. Fad confirmed that using disability categories to determine aid would be challenging due to the wide range of needs within each category.
Unclear: Representative Fellows Information Only00:36:49.359 - 9:35:45 AM; Representative Fellows asked about the collection of secondary and tertiary disability data and services required by IEPs. Fad explained that the New Hampshire Special Education Information System collects data on all disabilities and services for each student, but it is not used for cost determination.
Unclear: Representative Bricky Information Only00:43:00.960 - 9:41:56 AM; Representative Bricky asked about using indicator 5 data to tier special education aid. Fad confirmed that the department collects data at the student level and disaggregates it to the district and state levels, but it is not currently used for cost analysis.
Unclear: Representative Papovich Information Only01:03:15.480 - 10:02:11 AM; Representative Papovich sought clarification on the process of districts requesting special education aid. Fad explained that districts submit invoices for services, which are then compared to the students' IEPs to ensure alignment and allowability of expenses.
Unclear: Becky Wilson, New Hampshire School Boards Association Information Only00:59:19.559 - 9:58:15 AM; Becky Wilson provided insights into the challenges districts face in providing special education services, particularly with contracted providers. She explained that while IEPs are based on student needs, districts must figure out how to deliver those services, which can include contracting with providers from different areas. The only costs counted towards the special education aid cap are the direct service costs listed in the IEP.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:03:17.200 - 10:02:13 AM; The speaker sought clarification on the department's consideration of costs for special education services. They confirmed that the department considers only the actual cost of services as allowable if there is an itemized invoice. If a service provider includes travel costs in their hourly rate, the department must consider those costs allowable due to not having access to the contract details between the provider and the district.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:04:03.559 - 10:02:59 AM; The speaker inquired about the reimbursement process if a district has to reimburse a family for services. The response clarified that the state would reimburse the district after several conversations and thorough documentation to understand the necessity of the situation.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:04:50.799 - 10:03:46 AM; The speaker clarified that the department's role in reimbursing districts is to determine whether a case meets the cap for special education aid, not to reimburse individual services. They explained how costs are calculated to determine the district's responsibility and the state's contribution.
Unclear: Brian Eaton, Department Analyst Information Only01:05:38.400 - 10:04:34 AM; Brian Eaton discussed a document related to special education aid, explaining the brackets of costs and the number of students eligible for aid within those brackets. He clarified that the figures represent the costs submitted to the department after the local district has paid its share.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:08:02.279 - 10:06:58 AM; The speaker asked for clarification on the figures presented in the document, specifically about the numbers of students in different cost brackets. They discussed the accuracy and relevance of the numbers, noting discrepancies between different data sets.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:11:05.760 - 10:10:01 AM; The speaker discussed the appropriateness of the budget estimates for special education aid, noting a shortfall in the current budget and seeking information on how past estimates were made and their accuracy.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:15:59.679 - 10:14:55 AM; The speaker inquired about the difference in numbers between students submitted for special education aid and those eligible. The response clarified that the discrepancy could be due to students receiving services from multiple districts.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:16:44.920 - 10:15:40 AM; The speaker questioned the variation in special education aid numbers across different districts, specifically comparing Derry and Manchester. The response suggested that differences could be due to how well districts track and apply for aid.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:19:51.679 - 10:18:47 AM; The speaker asked if it would be possible for the department to audit districts with higher numbers of special education aid students. The response explained that while the department could look at broader data, it cannot question IEP team decisions.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:22:11.719 - 10:21:07 AM; The speaker discussed the impact of students moving between districts on special education costs and aid eligibility. They sought clarification on how such situations are handled by the department.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:26:03.920 - 10:24:59 AM; The speaker asked about trends in high-cost special education situations across different age groups. The response indicated that costs are more related to the type of service provided rather than the age of the student.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:27:39.840 - 10:26:35 AM; The speaker inquired about the impact of extending the age range for special education services on costs. The response clarified that the increase in costs was attributed to both an increase in the number of students and the average cost per student.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:32:49.600 - 10:31:45 AM; The speaker asked if the department could model the impact of lowering the special education aid threshold. The response noted that the department lacks data on students below the current threshold, making such modeling difficult.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:38:20.239 - 10:37:16 AM; The speaker sought clarification on the data submitted for special education aid, confirming that data is only collected for students exceeding the current threshold. They discussed the limitations of the available data for analysis.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:39:54.520 - 10:38:50 AM; The speaker asked if the department could project spending trends at lower cost thresholds based on existing data. The response indicated that while they could try, the lack of data below the threshold makes accurate projections challenging.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:40:42.119 - 10:39:38 AM; The speaker suggested looking at data from other states to estimate the distribution of special education costs at lower thresholds. The response acknowledged the idea as worth pursuing but noted the challenges due to regional differences.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:42:18.840 - 10:41:14 AM; The speaker recommended separating transportation costs from other special education services in data analysis. The response confirmed that transportation costs are a significant part of special education expenditures.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:43:04.800 - 10:42:00 AM; The speaker proposed viewing special education funding as an insurance policy, suggesting a holistic approach to special education aid that might include different multipliers and cost-sharing arrangements.
Unclear: Unidentified Speaker Information Only01:45:28.000 - 10:44:24 AM; The speaker mentioned a historical formula used for special education funding, noting its simplicity and uniform application across all towns.

Ladd, Rick(Chairman)(R)[B+]2024	Brown, Pam(Clerk)(R)	Spilsbury, Walter(V Chairman)(R)[B+]2024
McGuire, Dan(R)[A+]2024	Ames, Dick(D)[CT]2024	Burton, Wayne(D)[CT]2018
Luneau, David(D)[CT]2024	Colcombe, Riché(R)[A-]2024	Chretien, Suzanne(D)
Popovici-Muller, Daniel(R)[A+]2024	Damon, Hope(D)[CT]2024	Kofalt, Jim(R)[A+]2024
Fellows, Sallie(D)[CT]2024	Erf, Keith(R)[A]2024	Bricchi, Tracy(D)
Weinstein, Toni(D)	Peeples, Raymond(R)	Mehegan, Peter(R)