Committee Summary for House Education Funding (02/10/2026)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HB1121 00:07:41.840 - 9:06:22 AM	Public Hearing	defining the cost of an adequate education.	Ladd, Rick(R)[B+]2025
HB1563 2024-0546h 03:21:24.319 - 12:20:05 PM	Executive Session	relative to the special education aid formula.	Ladd, Rick(R)[B+]2025
HB1835 03:58:30.640 - 12:57:11 PM	Executive Session	relative to the formula for distribution of aid to school districts.	Raymond, Heather(D)[CT]2025
HB1574 2024-0632h 04:02:19.920 - 1:01:00 PM	Executive Session	authorizing school districts to extend free and reduced lunch benefits for special education students.	Weinstein, Toni(D)[F]2025
HB1776 04:07:41.279 - 1:06:22 PM	Executive Session	requiring higher educational institutions to report the reception of foreign grants, donations, and contracts to the department of education and the general court.	Sweeney, Joe(R)[A]2025
HB1799 04:10:10.399 - 1:08:51 PM	Executive Session	relative to required state funding for providing an opportunity for an adequate education.	Ames, Dick(D)[CT]2025
HB1831 04:24:13.279 - 1:22:54 PM	Executive Session	repealing the education trust fund targeted aid cap.	Chretien, Suzanne(D)[F]2025

HB1121: Representative Rick Lad, Haverhill Support00:07:41.840 - 9:06:22 AM; Representative Lad introduced HB 1121, explaining the need to define specific resource elements for an adequate education as required by statute RSA 193-E:2. He referenced the 2008 Joint Legislative Oversight Committee report chaired by Senator Esbrook, which outlined personnel ratios (e.g., teachers 1:25 for grades 3-12), roles like principals, guidance counselors, library media specialists, technology coordinators, custodians, and non-personnel costs including instructional materials, technology, professional development, facilities, and transportation. He noted changes in education since 2008, such as increased digital integration, and emphasized distinguishing adequate education costs from extras like athletics. Lad proposed an amendment to remove school nurses to align with the 2008 report, highlighting the importance of updating inputs for accurate DOE data and funding formulas. During Q&A, he addressed questions on guidance counselors, nurses, technology, paraprofessionals, and comparisons to Judge Ruop's decision, advocating for legislative determination of costs over court outputs.
HB1121: Representative Maguire Information Only00:25:31.039 - 9:24:12 AM; Representative Maguire questioned the necessity of guidance counselors, noting limited personal experience with them and their dual appearance in base and optional services.
HB1121: Representative Burton Information Only00:30:11.520 - 9:28:52 AM; Representative Burton referenced Judge Ruop's decision, which included similar categories like nurses and technology, assigning costs totaling $7,356 per pupil, and asked how it fits into the bill's discussion, emphasizing the need for on-site nurses for student health needs.
HB1121: Representative Damon Information Only00:36:51.359 - 9:35:32 AM; Representative Damon confirmed the bill's list aligns with the Esbrook study and Conval decision except for nurses, and inquired about the intent to specify elements of adequate education and why paraprofessionals are excluded, noting their cost-effective role in districts.
HB1121: Caitlyn Bernier, Merrimack Oppose00:43:55.440 - 9:42:36 AM; Caitlin Bernier opposed HB 1121, arguing it removes essential services like librarians (distinct from library media specialists), specialized arts, and transportation support, eroding the definition of adequate education. She highlighted modern curricula using technology programs (e.g., Wit and Wisdom costing over $200,000 initially) not covered under textbooks, defended bus utilization based on a local audit showing adequate seating, and stressed legal obligations for paraprofessionals in IEPs. Bernier warned that the bill shifts costs to local property taxpayers, exacerbating underfunding (NH ranks 50th in education funding), widens disparities, and harms public education serving 90% of students, undermining the state's future amid an aging population.
HB1121: Representative Papovich Information Only00:50:58.720 - 9:49:39 AM; Representative Papovich questioned the source of legal mandates for IEPs and paraprofessionals, clarifying they stem from state and federal law.
HB1121: Representative TBO Information Only00:52:11.040 - 9:50:52 AM; Representative TBO challenged the claim that the bill guts library and transportation definitions, noting they are explicitly included, and sought clarification on librarian vs. library media specialist roles.
HB1121: Representative Burton (follow-up) Information Only00:54:15.920 - 9:52:56 AM; Representative Burton cited Judge Ruop's observation that transportation is essential for accessing education and that costs exceed $1,000 per pupil, seeking agreement on its accuracy.
HB1121: Representative Willis Information Only00:55:28.960 - 9:54:09 AM; Representative Willis noted the growing book of legal education requirements (52 changes last year) and questioned if principals alone can track compliance without administrative support.
HB1121: Representative Pecky Information Only00:56:55.119 - 9:55:36 AM; Representative Pecky emphasized the superintendent's role in meeting adequate education requirements and noted the absence of superintendent costs in the bill.
HB1121: Representative Kokulkum Information Only00:58:05.119 - 9:56:46 AM; Representative Kokulkum asked about differences between Dillon rule and home rule states, explaining NH's Dillon rule grants authority from state to locals.
HB1121: Representative Ames Information Only00:59:17.040 - 9:57:58 AM; Representative Ames referenced the statute's purpose of shared state-local responsibility, establishing minimum standards while allowing local flexibility, suggesting a broader context beyond narrowing resource elements.
HB1121: Unnamed Witness Support01:01:09.440 - 9:59:50 AM; The witness affirms commitment to working with the state and agrees with the definition provided. They emphasize the importance of upholding responsibilities in education.
HB1121: Representative Paul Information Only01:01:09.440 - 9:59:50 AM; Representative Paul inquires about the inclusion of nurses in schools and their importance, noting potential removal.
HB1121: Unnamed Witness Support01:01:09.440 - 9:59:50 AM; The witness highlights the critical role of school nurses in handling medical accommodations under 504 plans, such as for diabetes, seizures, and ADHD medications. Nurses ensure school safety and support community needs like providing snacks or clothing, roles that teachers or paraprofessionals cannot fulfill.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Representative Lad Support03:21:24.319 - 12:20:05 PM; Representative Lad moves for OTP and explains the amendment, which adjusts the special education funding threshold from $70,000 to $50,000 for high-cost students (3.5 times average per pupil). The state covers 10% between $50,000-$60,000, 80% up to $200,000, and 90% above. Includes COLA adjustments, proration increase to 90% by 2029, and requirements for documenting costs tied to IEPs, maximizing other revenues like Medicaid. Addresses past shortfalls where $34M allocated but costs exceeded $50M, prorated to 68%. Aims to offset local burdens without full data availability.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Representative Damon Support03:32:00.960 - 12:30:41 PM; Representative Damon praises the collaborative effort, notes benefits to districts' finances and resources for all students, and seeks clarification on offsets (Medicaid/private insurance) and language phrasing like 'for the benefit of the student' and 'necessary, reasonable.' Expresses concern over timing of insurance reimbursements.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Representative Spilsbury Support03:35:25.680 - 12:34:06 PM; Representative Spilsbury clarifies that offsets are net of Medicaid/insurance to measure exceeding $50,000, and the phrasing ties costs to individual students. Notes language from Arkansas model and supports flexibility in 'reasonable' for IEP discretion.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Representative Maguire Support03:48:13.040 - 12:46:54 PM; Representative Maguire supports but cautions that as first committee, Finance will scrutinize costs and may adjust numbers for affordability.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Representative Ricky Support03:49:25.680 - 12:48:06 PM; Representative Ricky supports, clarifies Medicaid reimbursements are not a huge sum ($8-13M statewide, ~$250/student average), shares district example of minimal recoups from missed billing, urges Finance not to cut funds.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Representative Damon (additional) Support03:52:05.279 - 12:50:46 PM; Acknowledges costs of seeking Medicaid/insurance reimbursements, urges Finance/Ways & Means to treat seriously as non-discretionary need.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Unnamed Representative (district impact) Support03:53:10.239 - 12:51:51 PM; Highlights high IEPs in Charlestown/Newport, supports reducing threshold, hopes Finance makes judicious decisions.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Unnamed Representative Support03:54:25.680 - 12:53:06 PM; Emphasizes bill's importance in reducing local costs driving property taxes, suggests structural efficiencies like centralized Medicaid processing.
HB1563 2024-0546h: Representative Burton Support03:55:23.600 - 12:54:04 PM; Recalls original special ed law, notes federal funding drop from 40% to 5-6%, urges pressure on feds while state acts; calls to amend HB2 to remove threat to IEPs.
HB1835: Representative Spilsbury Oppose03:58:30.640 - 12:57:11 PM; Moves ITL, states direction set by HB 1563 on special education funding.
HB1835: Representative Damon Support03:59:49.120 - 12:58:30 PM; Requests change to interim study for valuable substance, prefers reserve in second year of term.
HB1574 2024-0632h: Representative Papovich Support04:02:19.920 - 1:01:00 PM; Moves to adopt amendment and OTP, praises collaborative fixes to technical issues, notes $80,000 allocation sufficient per DOE data, reduces burden on districts/DOE.
HB1574 2024-0632h: Representative Weinstein Support04:04:01.920 - 1:02:42 PM; Echoes thanks for collaborative work, notes small but vital funding for districts.
HB1574 2024-0632h: Representative Damon Support04:05:02.399 - 1:03:43 PM; Grateful for collaboration, excited about feeding needy students, hopes for more extensive future bill.
HB1776: Representative Peoples Information Only04:07:41.279 - 1:06:22 PM; Moves interim study due to structural language problems and unclear costs/overhead to university system.
HB1776: Representative Damon Support04:08:54.399 - 1:07:35 PM; Notes university concerns, unnecessary given federal statute.
HB1799: Representative Lad Oppose04:10:10.399 - 1:08:51 PM; Moves ITL, criticizes taxation changes, high/low cost figure ($7,379.56) outside legislative domain, opposes funding commission reviewing property/income/enterprise revenues.
HB1799: Representative Ames Support04:13:07.120 - 1:11:48 PM; Sponsored bill responds to recent court rulings on insufficient funding, sets new levels effective FY2028 with special committee options; regrets no work session, comprehensive with 7 sections.
HB1799: Representative Burton Support04:15:59.920 - 1:14:40 PM; Respects court's evidence-based denial of state's directed verdict, views as equal branch partner.
HB1799: Representative Papovich Oppose04:17:25.520 - 1:16:06 PM; Respects courts but expects constitutional respect; notes legislature's extensive work.
HB1799: Representative Damon Support04:18:45.199 - 1:17:26 PM; Thanks Ames for work, regrets no work session; key responsibility to respond to court's evidence on adequacy funding.
HB1799: Representative Spilsbury Oppose04:19:58.960 - 1:18:39 PM; Ambitious bill with 7 sections better as independents; no coalition for amendments, cannot accept all elements.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative Oppose04:24:13.279 - 1:22:54 PM; Moves ITL, distributes handout with spreadsheet for presentation on adequacy formula allocation to Manchester.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative Information Only04:25:36.960 - 1:24:17 PM; The speaker provides historical context on changes to education funding, explaining modifications to the extraordinary needs grant that favored Manchester at the expense of other districts. They describe capping Manchester's aid and introducing fiscal capacity disparity aid based on property value per pupil. Using a spreadsheet, they compare fiscal year 23 to projected FY27, showing Manchester's 54% increase in adequacy grant per pupil versus smaller or negative changes for other towns, all with lower property wealth. They oppose the bill for preventing Manchester's cap, arguing it unfairly allocates more funds to Manchester instead of property-poor districts.
HB1831: Committee Member Oppose04:35:06.000 - 1:33:47 PM; The speaker criticizes the $5,000 cap on student population that excludes Manchester, but acknowledges past increases. They emphasize Manchester's challenges with high-needs students, including poverty, homelessness, working parents, increases in autism spectrum disorders, mental illness, and abuse. Having lived and worked in Manchester, they argue that funding is essential to avoid raising property taxes and support students with significant issues, quoting that repealing the cap is about equal treatment for higher-cost education needs.
HB1831: Representative from Charlestown Oppose04:39:30.719 - 1:38:11 PM; The speaker notes that in an ideal world with infinite resources, the discussion would differ, but finite resources require allocation. They recall shock at the 2023 Senate budget changes that harmed their district, with Charlestown's adequacy grant decreasing while Manchester's rose 54.3% or over $40 million. They explain that clawing back one quarter of Manchester's increase enabled $134 million in fiscal capacity disparity aid to other towns, highlighting the necessity of such decisions.
HB1831: Damon Information Only04:40:57.600 - 1:39:38 PM; The speaker begins by thanking the chair and notes that the Senate and Governor understood the critical importance of certain aspects in last year's budget negotiations.
HB1831: Representative Damon Support04:42:24.638 - 1:41:05 PM; Emphasizes the critical need for funding in Manchester schools, highlighting that Manchester's equalized valuation per pupil is among the highest and $800,000 less than the state average. Argues against taking resources from other districts like Hillsboro but stresses the unfairness of the current zip code-based system. Urges passing the bill to help Manchester, opposes basing the cap on student numbers, and protests the ITL recommendation.
HB1831: Representative Kian Information Only04:43:49.600 - 1:42:30 PM; As a first-year member, asks for enlightenment on why the increase happened in 2023 in the finance committee.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative (likely responding to Kian) Information Only04:44:52.320 - 1:43:33 PM; Provides a brief overview of the extraordinary needs grant introduction and acceleration in the previous budget cycle. Explains the concern is not about more students needing more money, but the excessive allocation to one community over others with similar or greater per capita needs. Notes formulas create outliers and the legislature is adjusting for fairness from the previous term.
HB1831: Representative Fellows Information Only04:46:56.560 - 1:45:37 PM; States that the formula is on the agenda every year but the real issue is insufficient revenue to fund any formula adequately. Mentions New Hampshire ranks high in property tax expenditure per capita, double the national average, and calls for other revenue sources to fund education properly.
HB1831: Representative Burton Support04:48:23.600 - 1:47:04 PM; Recalls a time of welcoming immigrants, drawing from experience as president of a college in Lynn, Massachusetts, with a diverse immigrant population. Expresses pride in Manchester and its immigrant community, opposes punishing the city with the recent chart, and questions including non-poor towns like Madbury and Lee in the discussion.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative Oppose04:50:49.200 - 1:49:30 PM; Clarifies the discussion is about fair distribution, not revenues or property taxes. Argues distribution must be based on poverty or special education metrics. Notes switching to a flat per-student model would upset many as towns like Manchester would lose funding. Emphasizes other communities like Charlestown, Pembroke, Lisbon, and Charleston have greater needs per student and the goal is fair allocation.
HB1831: Representative Damon Support04:52:44.400 - 1:51:25 PM; Acknowledges revenues and distribution are correlated; insufficient revenues make fair distribution harder. Suggests including tax rates in the chart would show disparities, surprised by high EV per pupil in Bow, and insists Manchester needs the funding.
HB1831: Representative Magen Information Only04:54:02.160 - 1:52:43 PM; Politely notes similar increases for Allentown and Claremont, and decreases for Pembroke and Lisbon. Suggests viewing it not as punishment but as addressing the current state.
HB1831: Representative McGuire Oppose04:55:32.080 - 1:54:13 PM; Highlights the grant per pupil column showing Bow receives less than half of Manchester's amount, indicating the formula reflects reality. Argues the bill seeks to honor a political decision from four years ago over current circumstances, and budgets should be based on present needs, not past decisions.
HB1831: Representative Spilbury Oppose04:56:53.920 - 1:55:34 PM; Explains the House budget in 2023 used fiscal capacity disparity aid, while the Senate introduced new extraordinary needs grants and scrapped the prior aid. Defends fiscal capacity as key for tax-raising ability, using Charlestown vs. Manchester as an example. States the 2023 action rebalanced an anomaly in the imperfect system.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative Support04:58:21.760 - 1:57:02 PM; Questions the term 'anomaly' for 2023 events, notes changes in Manchester including the mayor cutting school funding by $8 million despite staying under the cap. Defends the legal immigrant community and the ongoing needs in Manchester.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative (responding) Oppose04:59:42.878 - 1:58:23 PM; Respects defense of constituents but defines anomaly as a one-time occurrence without prior pattern. Notes it was locked in the 2023 budget and corrected in the next cycle.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative Information Only05:01:48.080 - 2:00:29 PM; Asks if a hold harmless provision was discussed to allow Manchester time to adjust, noting the unfair impact.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative (responding) Oppose05:03:00.000 - 2:01:41 PM; States no decrease as the budget left the House; the Senate and Governor spiked one year, causing the drop. The House version would have provided growth for Manchester.
HB1831: Unnamed Representative Information Only05:04:06.160 - 2:02:47 PM; Provides figures on Manchester's grants: FY24 48.1M, FY25 70.7M (spike), FY26 56.1M, FY27 55.4M. Explains rebalancing to include fiscal capacity disparity aid for more communities, notes declining ADM, and denies vindictiveness, emphasizing formula adjustments to help towns like Charlestown.
HB1831: Representative Kreion Information Only05:05:17.360 - 2:03:58 PM; Apologizes for not saying 'thank you, Mr. Chair' each time.
HB1831: Committee Chair Information Only05:19:06.080 - 2:17:47 PM; The chair announces the adjournment of the meeting, thanking all attendees.

Ladd, Rick(Chairman)(R)[B+]2025	Brown, Pam(Clerk)(R)[B+]2025	Spilsbury, Walter(V Chairman)(R)[A-]2025
McGuire, Dan(R)[A]2025	Ames, Dick(D)[CT]2025	Burton, Wayne(D)[F]2025
Luneau, David(D)[CT]2025	Colcombe, Riché(R)[B+]2025	Chretien, Suzanne(D)[F]2025
Popovici-Muller, Daniel(R)[A-]2025	Damon, Hope(D)[CT]2025	Fellows, Sallie(D)[CT]2025
Erf, Keith(R)[A]2025	Bricchi, Tracy(D)[D-]2025	Weinstein, Toni(D)[F]2025
Peeples, Raymond(R)[B+]2025	Mehegan, Peter(R)[B+]2025