News

Open Enrollment Could Be Closed to Many

It sounds like such a simple who-could-oppose-this bill: Let New Hampshire students attend any public school in the state. But it’s not so simple, and open enrollment would mean “closed to you” for many Granite State families due to geography and work schedules.

If the idea is to provide the opportunity for a high-quality public education for all, this legislation is the wrong approach.

If you live in a town of one of these School Districts, please attend the Deliberative Session! Please support AFT-NH Members who have worked hard to negotiate a contract that will appear on March 11th (Election Day) ballots. TOGETHER WE WIN!

KNOW THE IMPACT!

After careful consideration of the candidates for the November 2024 election, AFT-NH has released its list of endorsements. We encourage full participation in the election so your voice can be heard. Voting is a personal choice, and we respect each member’s opinion and vote.

AFT-NH has endorsed the following candidates because they share our CORE VALUES.

• Support the right of workers to organize and collectively bargain

• Support keeping public money in public schools and oppose school vouchers

• Support strong public services

• Support academic freedom and oppose censorship in K-12 and our universities

You can see the full list here:  

AFT-NH local leaders and negotiating teams have spent countless hours preparing tentative agreements to be presented to the voters in March. All of that hard work comes down to one day of voting or one meeting. Please help AFT-NH members bring these contracts over the finish line. Please share this list with friends and allies so they know how they can make a difference and support our AFT-NH locals. We know that every single vote counts. Together we win. You can download the guide here. 

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.

The AFT has always been a solutions-driven union, and our new campaign, launched during TEACH on July 21, proves it once again with a fresh, practical approach to strengthening public education. As AFT President Randi Weingarten pointed out during her keynote speech, the $5 million, yearlong campaign, “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities,” stands up against attacks on public schools and offers real-world solutions to build up, rather than break down, our communities.

CONCORD, N.H.— From the moment he was sworn in Governor Sununu showed us he was an anti-education governor. His pick of Frank Edelblut as his Commissioner of Education has set off a chain of events in New Hampshire that have been detrimental to most Granite State students who rely on our neighborhood public schools. From the over budget, unaccountable and unproven school voucher program to signing a ban on teaching honest history, Sununu’s record on education will not be looked well upon in the years to come.