The bill, HB 772-FN, establishes a foundation opportunity budget program in New Hampshire to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students, regardless of their location. It repeals and reenacts RSA 193-E:1, emphasizing the state's responsibility to provide a constitutionally adequate education while recognizing the diverse fiscal capacities of communities. The new framework introduces a shared funding model between state and local governments, capping local school taxes at an inflation-adjusted amount and ensuring state grants cover local education costs. Additionally, it redefines adequate education under RSA 193-E:2-a, setting specific statewide goals for various learning areas starting in the 2024-2025 school year, and outlines a multi-year transition plan for implementing the new funding system.

The bill also introduces significant amendments to the education funding framework, including the calculation of the annual foundation opportunity budget based on a weighted Average Daily Membership Rate and a universal base foundation cost. It mandates municipalities to appropriate a minimum amount for public school support and establishes a phased approach for transition grants to municipalities facing decreases in state funding. Furthermore, the bill enhances accountability measures by requiring districts to create plans to address achievement gaps among student subgroups and introduces new metrics for assessing school performance. Overall, HB 772-FN aims to create a more equitable and effective public education system in New Hampshire while also reforming property tax relief programs to support low and moderate-income homeowners.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 195:14, 198:39, 76:3, 194-F:1, 194-F:2, 194-B:11, 198:48-b, 76:8, 76:11-a, 198:57
HB772 text: 195:14, 198:39, 76:3, 194-F:1, 194-F:2, 194-B:11, 198:48-b, 76:8, 76:11-a, 198:57