Contact Name: Sara Persechino

Phone: (603) 271-3479

Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us

CONCORD - Today, Senator Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) introduced legislation to the Senate Finance Committee that would allow the Department of Education (DOE) to circumvent the legislative process and accept a federal charter school grant that has twice been rejected by the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee due to concerns over sustainability. Last week, the grant was tabled by the committee.

After the hearing, Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes (D-Concord) issued the following statement:

“In two budgets, Governor Sununu refused to propose full funding for full-day kindergarten, refused to propose education funding increases, and he fought the Democrats’ historic investment in public school education, including for our charter schools, every step of the way.

To be clear, SB 747 is an effort to try to appear pro-education in an election year as it focuses on increasing the number of charter schools, not supporting our existing charter schools. That’s a costly, long-term commitment when we have declining student enrollment statewide. President Trump is already defunding this grant, and New Hampshire taxpayers will be left holding the bag. We need to put our taxpayers, our kids, and our existing charter schools in New Hampshire first—not Governor Sununu’s political agenda.”

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