New Hampshire ranks last in the country when it comes to the state’s share of funding for public schools. The state provides about 25% of total public school expenses to our towns, while the national average is twice that, around 50%.
When it comes to special education, the state’s share is even lower, between 10% to 11%. This speaks volumes to the lack of respect the current leadership in Concord has for children who need special education services.
Multiple bills sponsored by the Democrats this year proposed major increases in state funding for special education. The Republicans voted no to each of them, instead passing a bill that changes the special education funding formula. The new formula will pay more in some cases and a lot less in other cases. The state will still be paying only around 11% of the total cost statewide. With the federal government providing about 6%, this leaves 83% to the towns, whose only revenue source is property taxes.
When I testified before the House Education Committees this year, I encouraged them to take a long-term approach and commit to increase our state’s share of special education funding from its meager 11% now to 50% over a period of time — increasing it to 20% in the next biennium, 30% in the biennium after that, then 40% and finally 50%.
This would provide major property tax relief to local communities. It would also give local school boards some flexibility with their budget to retain their qualified classroom teachers, ensure a paraprofessional in each classroom where one is needed, provide extra reading instruction to children especially in elementary school, keep career and technical education programs fully funded and offer a reasonable slate of AP courses. Due to the differences in local property tax bases around the state, these things are not a given in many communities. These inequities in funding affect the well-being of tens of thousands of our children.
We are told by current Republican legislators that we don’t have money for special education. However, many of the taxes eliminated or lowered over the last 10 years of Republican control in Concord — such as the Business Profits tax, which brought in significant revenue from large corporations — could have easily given the state enough revenue to fully fund special education.
Special education is effective and provides strong educational benefits. In 2018, the New Hampshire Deptartment of Education reported that more than 81% of students with disabilities who had completed high school the previous year were enrolled in post-secondary education or training program and/or employed within one year of leaving high school. A study from Texas found that the absence of special education services can reduce the likelihood of finishing high school by 52% and reduce the likelihood of going to college by 38%. The report concluded that special education produces long-term returns on investment for society. Being married to a career-long special education teacher, I have heard many stories about her amazing students and their wonderful accomplishments.
We face a choice as a state. Do we believe that every child should be treated equally and deserves a chance?
Concord Republicans in 2025 eliminated the income cap on the school voucher program, pushing the expense to over $100 million in the last biennial budget. The private schools who receive the bulk of this money can choose which students they will accept. Parents who sign up for the voucher program must agree to sign away their rights under federal special education law, the Individuals with Disability Education Act. This guarantees all children with disabilities a free and appropriate education, IEPs, an education in the least restrictive environment and due process rights.
Although the state provides extra funds for students with disabilities in the voucher program, it does not require parents to demonstrate that their child is getting the educational supports needed to learn, unlike in public schools. The percent of students in the voucher program with a disability is about 9% compared to 21% in public schools.
Public schools accept every student who comes in their door. It is time that the state lives up to its constitutional duty to fund public schools. Ninety percent of the children in New Hampshire attend public schools. Ninety percent of our community members, workers, small business owners, local government leaders and voters have attended public schools, and this includes those who have disabilities.
Republicans in Concord have failed to fund special education, and it shows a lack of respect for children with disabilities and their families. We deserve legislators who believe in basic decency, common sense and who will insist that we live up to our responsibility to adequately educate all children.
Dave Trumble is a Weare resident, organic farmer and college debate coach running for State Senate in District 8.