AFT-NH | AFT Stateweb

AFT-NH Responds to Education Funding Superior Court Decision

CONCORD, N.H.— Today, the Rockingham Country Superior Court ruled that the state’s funding of education is unconstitutional. The court also ruled that towns are no longer able to keep their excess SWEPT. AFT-NH President Deb Howes released the following statement:

“The court’s ruling today re-affirms what we have been saying for years, the state funding of our neighborhood public schools is inadequate and unconstitutional. The continued underfunding of our schools deprives many Granite State public school students of enough expert teachers to give them the individual attention they deserve, the help of skilled, caring paraeducators to support their learning and the counselors and social workers to help students navigate the many other challenges that can get in the way of learning."

AFT-NH on Superior Court’s Voucher Decision

“The court’s decision is disappointing but not surprising. The court actually said the quiet part out loud, stating that the state does not have an obligation to provide a constitutionally adequate education to children whose parents opt to provide them a private education. That stunning admission should shock the public to its core and give everyone pause about the accountability and quality of voucher schools."

Stay Tuned for the State Board of Education Meeting Next Week

New Hampshire Department of Education 306 Rules FAQ

Next week, on Wednesday, at the State Board of Education meeting, the 306 rules, the rules that govern our local neighborhood public schools, are on the agenda. These rules have been worked on, mostly in secret, for nearly three years now. The first draft that was released last March was terrible for public students, teachers and staff. We do not know yet what will come out of the meeting on Wednesday but wanted to prepare you with a one pager on the 306 rules and prepare you for action after the next draft of the rules are released. Please watch this space for further updates and actions. Here is a Q&A on the process and rules.

State BOE Approval of PragerU is Disservice to Students

CONCORD, N.H.— Today, the New Hampshire School Board of Education approved a Prager U Financial Literacy video course for a ½ credit towards graduation from New Hampshire Public Schools. AFT-NH President Deb Howes released the following statement.

“Self-described as “edutainment,” PragerU does not even pretend to be a legitimate educational institution and certainly not one that is deserving of the trust that Granite State families put in the state of New Hampshire to ensure that each child is receiving an honest, academically rigorous and unbiased public education.

Poll Shows Granite Staters Do Not Support the Voucher Program and Strongly Oppose an Expansion

Poll Shows Granite Staters Do Not Support the Voucher Program and Strongly Oppose an Expansion

CONCORD, N.H. - More Granite Staters oppose the taxpayer-funded school voucher program than support it, with an even stronger opposition to further expansion of the program, according to polling released by the UNH Survey Center yesterday. AFT-NH President Deb Howes released the following statement:

“The Granite State Poll proves what we have said from the beginning, that hard-working Granite Staters are looking for solutions that help all our neighborhood public school students and are not interested in funding unaccountable, unproven, and over budget programs that only help a few families. The voucher scheme pushed by Frank Edelblut and extreme right-wing politicians raises local property taxes and does not improve educational outcomes for most students, all while New Hampshire continues to fail to fulfill its constitutional duty and fund our neighborhood public schools. The New Hampshire legislature should and must turn its attention to fully funding neighborhood public schools and ensuring that each student can access a robust, challenging and honest curriculum so that the Granite State can continue to have some of the best schools and best-educated students in the country.”

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State Board of Education Tabling PragerU is a Good First Step but the Program Must Be Rejected

For Immediate Release August 10, 2023

State Board of Education Tabling PragerU is a Good First Step

but the Program Must Be Rejected

CONCORD, N.H.— Today, the New Hampshire State Board of Education tabled a Prager U Financial Literacy video for a ½ credit in New Hampshire Public Schools. AFT-NH President Deb Howes released the following statement.

“Today’s decision to table PragerU as an education vendor is a solid first step for New Hampshire students, parents and teachers but the State Board must fully reject this proposal. The State Board of Education has a responsibility to approve curriculum that is rich in content and is proven to be effective through a rigorous accreditation process. PragerU fails on all of these important criteria. If this program is approved, parents may believe that this program, because it has been approved by the board, is accredited while it is not.

When questioned about PragerU members of the SBOE immediately blamed teachers for not voicing their concerns when a small handful were asked on July 3^rd. Asking teachers for information in the summer and during the 4^th of July holiday and then blaming them for not responding by the end of that week is insulting to those volunteers who do their limited free time to the board for this kind of review whenever possible.

We will continue to monitor and oppose this program and any of Frank Edelblut’s and the State Board of Education’s attempts cheapen our public schools. New Hampshire’s public education system and hardworking Granite Staters deserve better.