Statement from AFT-NH Pres. Deb Howes on the House Education Policy and Administration Committee passage of a statewide public school open enrollment bill today.
“The majority of the House Education Policy Committee failed Granite State public school students by rushing through a statewide open enrollment proposal without doing the hard work required to make it fair and workable for all public school students. By ignoring unresolved funding, transportation, fairness, and capacity issues, the committee chose speed over responsibility to every single public school student, not just a lucky few. As a result, many students will be left out of any real chance to participate in this newly created state funded public school educational opportunity. They will remain in underfunded public schools, many public school districts will see their resources strained even further, and the promise of a robust public school education for all students will ring even more hollow. Public policy should expand opportunities for all students, not just a few, and this rushed decision falls far short of that standard.”