Committee Summary for House Education Policy and Administration (02/24/2026)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HB1529 00:10:56.794 - 9:09:47 AM	Public Hearing	repealing the reading recovery training program.	Noble, Kristin(R)[A+]2025
HB1712 00:42:00.000 - 9:40:51 AM	Public Hearing	relative to charter conversion schools.	Noble, Kristin(R)[A+]2025
HB1155 00:45:39.840 - 9:44:30 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the home education advisory council.	Peternel, Katy(R)[A]2025
HB1358 01:34:13.602 - 10:33:04 AM	Public Hearing	establishing a commission to study transitioning all public schools to public charter schools and relative to the method for converting to a charter school.	Osborne, Jason(R)[A+]2025
HB1804 03:19:16.191 - 12:18:07 PM	Public Hearing	consolidating school administrative units, making chief school administrator jobs an elected position, and defining education roles.	McGuire, Dan(R)[A]2025

HB1529: Representative Kristen Noble, Bedford Information Only00:10:56.794 - 9:09:47 AM; Representative Noble introduced the bill, explaining that the reading recovery training program was brought to her attention due to concerns about its ineffectiveness. She consulted the Department of Education, which indicated the program has not been used in years, making repeal appropriate. She was open to questions.
HB1529: Gianna Gelsey, Madbury, Oyster River Cooperative School Board Oppose00:15:00.000 - 9:13:51 AM; Gianna Gelsey expressed concerns about repealing the program without sufficient analysis or input from the Department of Education. She highlighted that literacy teaching involves multiple methods, including reading recovery combined with science of reading, and questioned funding redirection. She opposed the bill due to lack of research on its classroom impacts and utilization rates across districts.
HB1529: Nate Dwyer, Manchester Support00:20:00.000 - 9:18:51 AM; Nate Dwyer supported the repeal, citing extensive studies showing reading recovery is harmful, causing regression in reading abilities, especially for struggling students. He contrasted it with effective phonics-based programs like the science of reading, which have improved outcomes in states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. He criticized the program's theory as flawed science based on memorization rather than decoding skills.
HB1529: Superintendent, Grantham School District Oppose00:25:56.794 - 9:24:47 AM; The superintendent opposed the repeal, emphasizing the need for a variety of intervention tools in the toolbox to personalize instruction for students. She noted that while the program is costly and less sustained due to funding issues, some interventionists in her district are trained in it and use it based on student needs alongside other programs like Wilson and Orton-Gillingham. She questioned the meaning of repeal under local control statutes and advocated for trusting professional educators' judgment. She highlighted that the program's use has adapted with online refreshers and that data on its effectiveness varies.
HB1712: Representative Kristen Noble, Bedford Information Only00:42:00.000 - 9:40:51 AM; Representative Noble introduced the bill but recommended it be found inexpedient to legislate (ITL), admitting she had not reviewed the language recently due to time constraints and wished she had withdrawn it.
HB1155: Representative Katie Peternel, Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro Information Only00:45:39.840 - 9:44:30 AM; Representative Peternel introduced the bill, expressing reluctance but detailing issues with the Home Education Advisory Council (HEAC), including vacancies, contentious meetings, governance problems, and deviation from its purpose of addressing rules rather than legislation. She described historical context, recent conflicts, and waste of resources. She proposed amendments to reduce members, eliminate legislative appointees, make other members voting, add DOE commissioner, move to quarterly meetings, incorporate rules into statute, eliminate the grievance committee, adjust reporting, and remove mileage for legislators. She mentioned submitting an amendment to repeal the council entirely and was open to testimony to determine its future.
HB1155: Michelle Rohrbacher, home educator, Christian Home Educators of New Hampshire and Southern Maine, chair of HEAC Oppose01:00:39.840 - 9:59:30 AM; Michelle expresses concerns within the home education community about proposals to amend or dissolve the HEAC without consulting members. She notes that there are five home education organizations on the council and disputes claims of only six associations existing. She attributes vacancies to the commissioner's refusal to appoint nominated members rather than council dysfunction. She supports removing non-voting members' voting rights but values their neutral input. She opposes changing meetings to quarterly due to rapid legislative changes affecting home education. She appreciates striking the two-thirds quorum requirement in favor of a simple majority and notes the annual report is publicly available.
HB1155: Gianna Gelsi, Madbury, NH, school board member representing self Oppose01:10:00.000 - 10:08:51 AM; Gianna supports the original intent of HEAC to foster good relationships between home educators and public schools, important for services like classes and activities. She is concerned about removing voting rights from public school representatives but is gratified by the sponsor's proposed amendments to restore them, valuing input from school associations. Despite amendments, she recommends inexpedient to legislate, as more work is needed to benefit all parties and improve communication.
HB1155: Diane Nolan, Catholics United for Home Education, HEAC member Support01:12:00.000 - 10:10:51 AM; Diane favors keeping HEAC, especially if changes are made to home education law this session, as eliminating state support would not aid RSA 193 home educators. She highlights difficulties in reaching the diverse home education population, noting no single organization fully represents them, with over 50 Facebook groups and co-ops. HEAC provides cross-representation for thousands, conveying trends and resolving issues. It has served successfully for 30 years with nominees from organizations and stakeholders.
HB1155: Anonymous speaker from Nashua Oppose01:15:08.043 - 10:13:59 AM; The speaker supports eliminating HEAC, arguing it was designed by HSLDA in 1990 for the commissioner and organized groups, not independent parents who form the majority of the movement. Homeschoolers are a minority on the commissioner-appointed board, and non-group members lack voice. HEAC has been destructive, refusing help like from Alfred LaMontagne in 1993 and concealing offers. It has never supported freedom-enhancing legislation, and recent testimony was individual, not organizational. Communication is poor, with no bulletins or helpful information. The grievance council is unnecessary and burdensome.
HB1155: Heather Barker, New Hampshire School Administrators Association representative Support01:25:00.000 - 10:23:51 AM; Heather agrees recent years have been contentious with new education pathways like EFA, and HEAC tried to clarify differences to reduce conflict. She supports the sponsor's amendments, as the original bill risked leaving decisions solely to divided home educators. HEAC is valuable for understanding home education pathways, resolving conflicts, and training school districts. Partnerships with DOE and HEAC support families. She opposes dissolution but suggests limiting meetings to four to six times yearly to avoid minutiae that upset work.
HB1358: Representative Jason Osborne, Rockingham 2 (Auburn, Candia, Deerfield) Support01:34:13.602 - 10:33:04 AM; Jason introduces HB 1358 as a study commission on transitioning all public schools to charters, noting NH charter schools rank highly nationally, with enrollment up 44% to over 6,000 students in 38 schools, many with waiting lists. Examples like Spark Academy show rapid improvement. Charters address property tax, housing, and funding issues by shifting to state per-pupil funding, simplifying the system, promoting competition, and increasing accountability. It maintains public funding while introducing market mechanisms, allows choice without state takeover, and enables new charters if dissatisfied. The bill studies possibilities without mandating.
HB1358: John Ngozelsi, Edinburgh, NH, Oyster River Cooperative School District school board member, speaking for self Oppose01:51:42.701 - 10:50:33 AM; John criticizes the hearing scheduling as suppressing participation during school vacation week. He disputes claims: charter funding comes from property taxes via state adequacy, reducing public school funds; score gains may result from self-selection; special ed costs shift to public systems; students can transfer via RSA 193 manifest hardship or open enrollment. The bill foreordains conversion, undermining public education and charter purpose of experimentation under public rules. Local oversight via elected boards is stronger than charters. The commission's narrow timeline (to Jan 2027) is insufficient for such complexity without solving equitable funding. Recommends inexpedient to legislate.
HB1358: Brian Hawkins, NEA New Hampshire Oppose01:55:00.000 - 10:53:51 AM; Brian opposes HB 1358, noting section one changes recent criteria from Rep. Ladd's bill, recognizing conversion gravity. Local charters are funded by property taxes plus state adequacy. The commission has a short timeline for a large issue and lacks educators, limiting dialogue with stakeholders despite possible external input requests.
HB1358: Deborah Howe, President, American Federation of Teachers New Hampshire Oppose02:15:00.000 - 11:13:51 AM; Deborah Howe opposes HB 1358 on strong terms. The bill changes the approval process for charter conversion schools from a vote by the school board and legislative body at an annual district meeting to a vote at the biennial election in November, which she argues takes away informed voting and local control. Communities have opportunities at deliberative sessions and district meetings to ask detailed questions about school operations, student support, and spending, enabling informed decisions. Moving the vote to November competes with numerous elections, reducing focus and information dissemination. School district meetings are well-noticed through papers, websites, and mailings, allowing participation. She emphasizes the importance of community discussions for major changes like charter conversions. Additionally, she opposes the study commission as it puts the cart before the horse, before the legislature fulfills obligations to public school students.
HB1358: Doris Hohensee, Nashua Oppose02:25:00.000 - 11:23:51 AM; Doris Hohensee from Nashua opposes the bill, noting that cities like Nashua vote only at municipal or state elections without deliberative sessions, leading to uninformed ballot decisions. She argues the bill undermines local control as outlined in her city charter, which includes an elected Board of Education since 1853. Converting schools to charters shifts power to the state with appointed boards, reducing direct representation, as seen in Manchester's charter school board dismissals. She highlights historical decentralization of school districts since 1805 to avoid state interference and protect rights under Article 6 of the constitution. The bill aligns with other measures centralizing control like EFAs and SAU consolidation. She criticizes the Charlie Act as virtue signaling that doesn't address indoctrination or forced funding of objectionable instruction, urging protection of local control and rights of conscience.
HB1804: Representative Dan McGuire, Epsom Support03:19:16.191 - 12:18:07 PM; Representative Dan McGuire, prime sponsor, supports HB 1804-FN, which reduces over 100 SAUs to 12 (one each for Manchester, Nashua, and the 10 counties), making SAU heads elected positions starting two years from November. He provides documents including an op-ed on high school spending, per-pupil spending data showing NH sixth highest at $21,731 with highest general administration costs, and teacher-student ratios. NH has high local spending despite low state taxes, leading to middle-of-pack overall taxation. The bill addresses bureaucratic overhead, reorganizes duties to enhance local control (academics like curriculum to districts, business functions like grants and transportation to SAUs), and increases accountability via November elections with broader voter participation. He references a study committee report showing rising spending and flat test scores, and testimony from Eric Power. During Q&A, he clarifies no impact on local budgets, economies of scale, oversight by county delegations, roles of principals and school boards, handling of inter-county cooperatives, and potential savings despite layoffs.
HB1804: Representative Dan McGuire, Epsom Support04:04:16.191 - 1:03:07 PM; McGuire responds to committee questions during his testimony. He argues that the bill saves money on property taxes and allows direct interaction between parents and elected school board members rather than through the superintendent. He emphasizes the superintendent's role in fixing local issues but defends the bill's structure for larger efficiencies. He discusses how the bill interacts with other legislative efforts like open enrollment, suggesting larger organizations can hire specialists for legal and administrative needs. He explains the oversight committee's role in addressing specific issues over time, preferring it to a commission to keep policy with the legislature. He clarifies that only the chief administrator is elected, not assistants.
HB1804: Representative Rick Ladd, Haverhill Support04:15:00.000 - 1:13:51 PM; Ladd, a former teacher and principal, supports the intent of consolidation to reduce administrative costs through economies of scale but expresses concerns with the bill as written. He highlights the need to consider geography, economics, and unique community situations, using Grafton County as an example where areas like Lebanon/Hanover differ vastly from Littleton/Haverhill-Woodsville in income and property values. He warns against politicizing education through frequent elections of chief administrators and notes potential burdens on principals from added management duties, risking burnout. He points out conflicting language in the bill regarding principal supervision and election, and questions licensure for new administrative roles. He urges caution, suggesting the bill provides a starting point for consolidation but needs refinement, especially for special education funding and IEPs under a county structure. During Q&A, he discusses policy vs. procedure roles, shared understandings between districts and SAUs, snow day decisions, teacher hiring processes, and concerns about school boards taking on supervisory roles without training.
HB1804: Representative [Unnamed], NH Support04:34:16.191 - 1:33:07 PM; The representative supports county-level consolidation for efficiency, arguing it allows comparison of teaching methods across districts to improve outcomes and reduce costs. He criticizes current practices where staff increases despite declining student numbers, leading to smaller classes and higher spending without efficiency. He advocates for a big-picture approach to cut unnecessary budgets, like positions that remain unfilled, and questions why school boards prioritize spending over efficiencies. During Q&A, he addresses fiscal notes, potential downshifting to counties, state funding cuts, and argues against increasing education aid while student enrollment declines and elderly populations grow, emphasizing the need for sensible economics in school governance.
HB1804: Gianna Gelsie, Madbury Oppose04:49:16.191 - 1:48:07 PM; Gelsie, a school board member in Oyster River Cooperative School District, opposes the bill, arguing it misunderstands school board roles and would not decrease costs. She explains school boards set policy while superintendents handle operations, and consolidation at the county level would require more administrators, negating savings. She warns that electing the chief administrator would politicize education, undermining nonpartisan efforts and risking unqualified leaders without expertise in education, budgets, or law. She asserts the bill aims to destroy public education rather than help it, recommending it be found inexpedient to legislate. During Q&A, she clarifies school boards strive for nonpartisanship despite being elected, emphasizing the need for superintendent qualifications, and discusses liability insurance and chain of command issues.
HB1804: Alyssa Bascom, Charlestown Oppose04:55:39.430 - 1:54:30 PM; Bascom, chair of Fall Mountain Regional School District Board, opposes HB 1804, detailing how it would affect her rural district with 1,350 students across five towns. She notes that 75-80% of the budget goes to instruction and services, with administrative costs small but higher per pupil due to scale in small districts. She questions unmodeled transition costs, technology integration, contracts, and geographic challenges in a county structure. She argues school boards lack expertise for direct curriculum control, risking legal issues, instability from elections, and disruption to long-term initiatives. She supports efficiency but says communities influence education through engagement, not by boards designing instruction. She recommends preserving expert-led implementation while maintaining local voice.
HB1804: Chris Coates, Cheshire County Administrator Oppose05:05:00.000 - 2:03:51 PM; Coates, with experience in county administration, city council, school board, and legislature, opposes the bill, calling it a sweeping change without planning that shifts responsibilities, costs, and liabilities to counties unprepared for K-12 administration. He notes counties lack capacity, staffing, or funding for this, contrasting it with thoughtful expansions like sheriff policing funded by user fees. He warns of confusion from elected chief administrators, politicization, overlapping authorities, and disputes over contracts, records, and transitions. He criticizes the top-down approach without stakeholder input and urges finding the bill inexpedient to legislate, on behalf of Cheshire County and the NH Association of Counties. During Q&A, he confirms representation, notes five SAUs in Cheshire (some split), and states additional staff in finance, IT, and HR would be needed, complicating hiring processes.
HB1804: Doris Johansson, Nashua Oppose05:12:00.000 - 2:10:51 PM; Doris Johansson from Nashua opposes HB 1804, highlighting issues with the proposed chief school administrator role. She notes that in Nashua, they retain the chief school administrator without hiring their own superintendent, but under the bill, this unelected official would attend all board meetings without oversight or ability to be fired. She criticizes lack of accountability, potential for favoritism in nominations leading to lawsuits, high campaign costs for elections, absence of mechanisms for revenue sharing agreements, and unaccountable tasks like labor negotiations and budgets. Johansson argues that the role requires daily district presence and historical knowledge, which a distant county administrator cannot provide. She warns of no savings, increased flux due to two-year terms, undermined local control, reduced parental tracking of decisions, uniform salaries ignoring district value, and further state control. She supports eliminating SAUs as recommended in 1993 and criticizes union influences and educational fads from the commissioner.
HB1804: Christine Downing, elected official for Goshen school district, SAU 102; legislative committee chair for NH School Administrators Association; Grantham superintendent, SAU 75 Oppose05:20:00.000 - 2:18:51 PM; Christine Downing opposes HB 1804 from multiple perspectives. As an elected official in small rural Goshen (SAU 102), she provides a financial example showing no savings from consolidation, citing their successful withdrawal from SAU 71 over a decade ago despite being only six miles apart. She argues consolidation should only proceed if it improves student outcomes, preserves local voice, creates efficiencies, and protects services, none of which the bill addresses. As a superintendent, she lists real-time duties handled during vacation week (personnel, financial, family support, legal, law enforcement issues), emphasizing the need for on-site expertise that a county-wide administrator cannot provide. She notes increasing SAU numbers due to local preferences and opposes the bill for lacking considerations for vulnerable students and inclusive practices.
HB1804: Deborah Howe, president of American Federation of Teachers, New Hampshire Oppose05:25:39.430 - 2:24:30 PM; Deborah Howe opposes HB 1804, citing failed consolidations in Vermont (Act 46, no spending decreases, offset by transportation and support costs) and Maine (2007 law promised $36.5M savings but delivered $1.6M, graded D, with instability and resistance). She criticizes the bill for repeating mistakes without a fiscal note, transition plan, or cost estimates, including new elections, system migrations, and restructurings that burden counties. Howe argues it weakens local control and community voice, as seen in recent NH SAU separations for parental concerns (e.g., Pasquaney leaving for K-5 model). Electing partisan chief administrators risks instability, whiplash from two-year terms, and threats to labor stability, contracts, and operations, requiring additional laws like in Maine. She calls for better planning, fiscal notes, and focusing on funding public schools instead of risky experiments.
HB1804: Becky Wilson, director of governmental relations for New Hampshire School Boards Association Oppose05:40:39.430 - 2:39:30 PM; Becky Wilson opposes HB 1804, defending local school boards against claims of frivolous spending as misrepresentations offensive to volunteer members. She explains rising costs despite enrollment changes due to state mandates from numerous bills (e.g., charter schools, open enrollment, contract changes, curriculum additions, fiscal reporting, special ed centralization, partisan elections, transportation, Medicaid), listing over a hundred impacts from recent sessions alone. Wilson argues school boards operate under statutory and community-driven realities, not in a vacuum, and the real issue is sustainable funding partnerships to reduce property tax reliance. She references the school consolidation report, suggesting a commission over a committee for input, and notes trends of districts separating for local control.
HB1804: Tracy Berkey, Merrimack District 15 (Penacook, Ward 1 of Concord); representing Hope Damon, Sullivan District 8 Oppose05:48:29.006 - 2:47:20 PM; Tracy Berkey, a 35-year educator and Merrimack Valley School Board chair, opposes HB 1804 and reads Hope Damon's testimony as a minority member of the 2025 SAU consolidation study committee. Damon agrees NH may have too many SAUs but calls the bill unreasonable, predetermining county-plus model without thorough work, cost savings data, or alternatives. She notes trends of districts separating for local control, unaddressed cross-county issues, no savings proof (citing Maine/Vermont failures with redirected funds to transportation and salary alignments), potential increased principal burdens, and cooperative buying as better for economies. Damon criticizes electing unqualified partisans with short terms, downshifting duties to unprepared entities, no academic guarantees, added inequities, and regulatory complexity. She urges ITL, suggesting thorough evaluation of small SAUs and resources like New America. Berkey echoes minority concerns ignored in committee.

Noble, Kristin(Chairman)(R)[A+]2025	Drye, Margaret(Clerk)(R)[B+]2025	Peternel, Katy(V Chairman)(R)[A]2025
Cornell, Patricia(D)[F]2025	Freeman, Lisa(R)[B+]2025	Belcher, Mike(R)[B+]2025
Hall, Muriel(D)[CT]2025	Terry, Paul(R)[B+]2025	McDonnell, Valerie(R)[B+]2025
Selig, Loren(D)[D-]2025	Balboni, Peggy(D)[CT]2025	Murray, Megan(D)[CT]2025
Tenczar, Jeffrey(R)[B+]2025	Litchfield, Melissa(R)[B+]2025	Woodcock, Stephen(D)[F]2025
Kluger, Lee Ann(D)[F]2025	Snodgrass, Jim(D)[F]2025	Nadeau, Brian(R)[B+]2025