Monthly Archives: April 2017

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Action Alert! Amendment Would Increase Authority of NH’s Commissioner of Education

Senator John Reagan has introduced an amendment to HB 356 (an unrelated bill that establishes a committee to study education funding and costs). This amendment, 2017-1236s, increases the role of the Commissioner of Education, giving Commissioner Edelblut unprecedented authority over a new plan to completely reorganize the Department of Education, and shifting responsibilities from Division administrators within the Department to the Commissioner.

The amendment changes the bill’s analysis from one that focuses on education funding and costs to instead read, “This bill consolidates the duties of the divisions of the department of education into the office of the commissioner and authorizes the commissioner to transfer appropriations or transfer or reassigning personnel as the commissioner deems necessary.

Just a few of the changes that would result from the passage of amendment 2017-1236:

  • Replace the existing 4 divisions in the NH Department of Education with 4 new divisions, to be determined by the Commissioner. Each division would be under the direction of the Commissioner, and shall perform such functions as assigned by the Commissioner. 
  • Allow the Commissioner to transfer or reassign personnel from any one division, office, unit or component of the Department to another; change the authority of personnel.
  • Give the Commissioner the authority to administer special education (administer the provisions of RSA 186-C), career technology and adult learning programs, services for the blind; to set rates for private providers; to administer department responsibilities for nutrition programs, informational services, compilation, analysis and reporting of data; to set rates for private providers; to develop and administer standards for the professional development of educators; and to administer standards for approving elementary and secondary schools.
  • On the NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders, designate the Commissioner as a replacement for both the Director of the Division of Instruction and the Director of the Division of Career Technology and adult learning with the Commissioner.
  • In NH’s special education law, RSA 186-C, replace most references from the “division of educational improvement” to “the office of the commissioner”.  

When is the public hearing on this amendment?  The bill to which this amendment is attached has already had its public hearing.  Even though this is a non-germane amendment (meaning that it is unrelated to the content of the HB 356), there is NO requirement that a public hearing be held on the amendment.  That means that there is NO opportunity for the public to give input at a hearing on this amendment!!

So – WHAT CAN YOU DO?

  • Email the Senate Leadership to express your concerns.  Ask them to hold a public hearing so that your voice can be heard about this very significant amendment.  Ask that the public hearing be publicized in the Legislative calendar so that the public is aware of it and able to participate.
  • Senate President Chuck Morse at chuck.morse@leg.state.nh.us 
  • Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley at jeb.bradley@leg.state.nh.us 
  • Senate Minority Leader Jeff Woodburn at Jeff.Woodburn@leg.state.nh.us 
  • Pass this information on to your friends & colleagues who share your commitment to public education.
  • This amendment will likely be discussed by the Senate Education committee in the Legislative Office Building, Room 103 on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at about 9:00 when the committee is scheduled to hold executive session on pending bills.  If you have time, attend as an observer to show your support for public education.

 

 

Alerts

Highlights from Sue Ford’s Grassroots Newsletter

Notable Floor Votes
The House is in session on Wednesday and has reserved Thursday for continued session if necessary.
The Senate is in session on Thursday.

House Votes:
HB 1 and HB 2, making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the state for fiscal years ending June 30, 2018 and June 30, 2019.

Interested in Testifying at Committee Hearings?
We’ll send you information on how to testify
Click HERE to add your name to the list!

Want to write a letter, here’s a Sample LETTER
Dear Editor,

On March 16th, 2017 the New Hampshire Senate passed a bill to set up “education freedom savings accounts” that would give public dollars to private school tuition. This week, the same bill will be heard by the NH House Education Committee.

SB 193, one of the most radical school voucher bills we have ever seen in the New Hampshire legislature, would allow taxpayers dollars to go to religious schools and to parents who homeschool their children. It also funnels the funds through various non-profits, which inevitably raises more questions about where taxpayer dollars are going.

For such a horrendous bill, why aren’t more people talking about it? SB 193 has been drowned out in the press by numerous (also terrible) bills that roll back voting rights and focus on the upcoming budget.

Public schools are the center of our communities where students develop their civic identities and grow into active participants in our society and economy. Investing in public education means that we are telling each and every student in our state that they are valuable. A bill like SB 193 will send the opposite message.  

We can not allow our State’s Republican leadership to play party politics in order to undermine our public schools.

Please email Erin Cotton, ecotton@nhdp.org, for more sample letters or for suggestions and revisions on your own LTE!

Legislative Recap 
Week in Review – Mar. 27th – Mar. 31st
Last week, the Senate passed SB 3, a bill aimed at targeting NH voters who are most vulnerable to attacks on voting rights. This bill will make it more difficult for students, the elderly, and people of color to vote. Even worse, SB3 would force domestic abuse victims to seek the approval of their abuser to be able to vote, by requiring a note from the landlord if they don’t have a document with their name on it or, if they voted without identification, then a letter would be mailed to their “home” address requiring a victim to return to an unsafe environment. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 7, legislation to restrict access to food assistance services in New Hampshire. This bill restricts access to food stamps for those most in need in our state without saving New Hampshire a dime. Finally, the Senate passed HB 103. This bill requires signed parental permission for any course material that could be deemed objectionable – directly targeting health courses and limiting comprehensive sex ed for New Hampshire students.

Read the whole newsletter!