New Hampshire Begins to Define an "Adequate Education"

Norma Love:

New Hampshire will be responsible to pay for more than the three Rs under a new law defining a constitutionally adequate education but taxpayers won't get the bill for months.

Gov. John Lynch signed the law yesterday, the first step in the state's effort to answer a court ruling that it define its responsibility for education and pay for it.

"With this new law, we are fulfilling our responsibility to define an adequate education," said Lynch. "The broad educational opportunities outlined in this law will ensure our children have the skills and knowledge they need to compete in today's world."

Lynch noted that the definition includes kindergarten -- not currently mandated in New Hampshire.

The next step facing lawmakers is to put a price to the broadly worded definition, then craft a new aid distribution system. Lawmakers have insisted for months they won't wait to do that.

Text of HB 0927-FN:

AN ACT relative to the specific criteria and substantive educational program that define an adequate education, the resources required to provide an adequate education, and the establishment of a timetable for costing an adequate education.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at July 2, 2007 11:11 AM
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