Concord
If it becomes law, SB 8 will allow students to attend private school using tax money, provided that their public school districts don’t cover their grade level. The bill was inspired in part by the Croydon School District’s legal battle with state education officials over a similar practice in that town.
State representatives voted, 210-147, that the bill “ought to pass” with amendments requiring that private schools benefiting from this program be nonsectarian, that the schools administer educational assessments and that they be approved by the State Board of Education.
“I am pleased by the House’s support of this legislation to allow students living in a town without a public school to have the opportunity to attend a public or private accredited school of their choosing in another community,” state Sen. Ruth Ward, R-Stoddard, a sponsor whose district covers Croydon and other Newport-area towns, said in a statement on Thursday.
“The town of Croydon, which does not have its own public school beyond fourth grade, is just one example where this legislation will benefit students by allowing them attend a school that best suits their individual learning styles and educational needs.”
The state Department of Education’s case against Croydon, which has reached the New Hampshire Supreme Court, was stayed earlier this year in anticipation of legislation that a justice said could make a decision “moot.”
The House already has passed its own version of the bill, HB 557, which awaits action by the state Senate. The lower chamber did not include restrictions on the use of public funds at religious schools, which led to warnings about potential constitutional challenges.
A version of the Croydon bill passed both chambers last year before being vetoed by then-Gov. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat. Current Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, said on Thursday that he looked forward to signing it.