Four Democratic state representatives have filed a legal brief with the N.H. Supreme Court urging it to note that the state can provide education funding in a way that gives the most help where it is most needed.
The friend-of-the-court brief was filed Monday in connection with a 4-year-old lawsuit brought by the ConVal School District. Many other districts in the Monadnock Region and across the state have joined the litigation.
In that suit, the state is appealing Rockingham County Superior Court Judge David W. Ruoff’s ruling last year that New Hampshire’s baseline funding should be at least $7,356 per pupil, almost double what it now is.
The state does not provide enough money to meet its constitutional requirement to give schoolchildren an adequate education, the judge said.
Reps. Richard Ames of Jaffrey, David Luneau of Hopkinton, Mary Heath of Manchester and Mel Myler of Contoocook signed the friend-of-the-court brief. All were members of the 2020 N.H. Commission to Study School Funding.
“In its Final Report, the Commission found that the top priority should be to increase state budget funds that are directed to less affluent cities and towns to improve student equity and reduce unfair property tax burdens,” Luneau said in a news release.
“This Amici brief urges the Supreme Court to clarify that the Legislature has clear constitutional authority to achieve the recommendations approved by the Commission.”
House Bill 1586, sponsored by the four lawmakers, would allocate state aid in a way designed to provide sufficient help to the school districts with the greatest need based on factors such as student poverty.
The measure is to be studied by lawmakers in the interim period between legislative sessions. Ames said in an interview Wednesday that it is possible a similar bill will be introduced for next year’s session.
New Hampshire’s education system, funded largely by property taxpayers, is inequitable, in part, because property-rich towns are better able to fund schools than towns with lower property values, Ames said.
He said if the state increases spending on public education, it makes sense to do so in a way that provides help where it is needed most. Targeted aid could also be provided at lower cost to taxpayers, Ames said.
Rick Green can be reached at 603-352-1234, extension 1435, or RGreen@keenesentinel.com.
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