Our students are heading back to school this month and I thought it would be a good time for voters to review some important facts about education in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Republicans claim the state is near the top in education spending nationally. This is disingenuous. Here is what the data actually shows.
The school funding total Republicans reference includes money from local, state and federal sources combined. The largest amount is from local property tax payers.
New Hampshire funds 70% of public school revenue through property taxes — the highest share in the nation. This creates a heavy load for property taxpayers and widens funding differences between wealthy and lower-income towns.
According to the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute and other policy groups, New Hampshire ranks 50th in the nation for the percentage of public school revenue that comes directly from state government aid. We are rated dead last for the state’s investment in our public schools and in direct opposition to the decades old court decisions that require the state to provide more funding.
So while Republicans highlight overall funding levels in the system, it’s local taxpayers who pay the biggest portion.
Republicans also have a relatively new strategy: to place the cost of education as excessive spending at the local level. This is a way to shift the blame away from the responsibility of the legislature to meet its constitutional duties to provide public education funding, according to two recent Supreme Court decisions.
In New Hampshire, the annual average cost to educate a student is around $23,000 per student. That might sound like a lot, but what I have learned is that regionally, we are right in the ballpark.
The United States Census Bureau statistics for our region show that the annual average spending per pupil is $26,738 for 2024.
The annual average cost in 2024 to educate students in New England:
- Vermont: $28,818
- Connecticut: $26,316
- Massachusetts: $24,429
- New Hampshire: 22,978
- Rhode Island: $22,110
- Maine: $19,962
You will notice that New Hampshire is right in the middle, not excessive at all. However, the annual Base Adequacy Grant of $4,265.64 per student is the amount the state currently pays to school districts, with additional amounts per student for special education ($2,229), Free or Reduced-Price Meals ($2,392.92) and English Language Learners ($816). This falls far short, which is why local taxpayers are left to make up the difference.
Here’s a not so fun fact: Most taxpayers and parents have no idea what it costs to educate the students in their district.
A July WalletHub ranking listed New Hampshire schools as fourth in the nation for quality and safety, based on factors like test scores and dropout rates. Our students are successful largely because our citizens prioritize high-quality public schools. However, there are discrepancies across the state and many communities are struggling with extraordinarily high property taxes that cannot be sustained.
While the local commitment to public schools is strong, the school voucher program is steadily depleting the state’s Education Trust Fund.
Enrollment in New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Accounts, the state’s school voucher program, has risen 25% for the coming school year. The program has 12,500 students enrolled, with another 943 on the waitlist. The law was intentionally designed so the enrollment cap grows 25% each year the cap is hit. The voucher program has expanded to include all families regardless of income, departing from its original intent to support low-income families. Most of the funding subsidizes parents whose children are already enrolled in religious or private schools.
For the 2026-2027 school year, New Hampshire is expected to spend more than $60 million on the voucher program. The program is funded with taxpayer dollars from the Education Trust Fund. That money should be sent back to our local districts to help bring down property taxes.
I believe that parents have a choice as to where and how their children should be educated. I do not believe that tax payer money should be spent on private or religious schools.
Public schools are a foundation of New Hampshire communities. They contribute to the cultural, social and economic vitality of towns, particularly in rural places like Bradford, where I live, and schools are often a major employer. When we invest in our public school system, we invest in everyone’s future.
With the new school year underway, let’s make it clear to our students, families and devoted teachers that we support them. Support candidates that champion our public schools.
Rep. Eileen Kelly serves in Merrimack District 8, representing Bradford, Henniker and Warner. She is a member of the NH House Finance Committee.