Education funding
In its 1993 decision in Claremont
School Dist. v. Governor, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled
that the state has a constitutional obligation to provide and pay for
an adequate education for all its children. Despite six subsequent rulings
and three opinions, the Legislature and Governors have refused to meet
that obligation.
The Children's Alliance of NH believes in the constitutional right of
every student to an adequate education. We advocate for all education
decisions to be based upon sound research, for setting the cost of an
adequate education at a level which ensures high quality, and for funding
the full cost of public education through a sufficient and reliable
revenue plan.
We are a member of the New
Hampshire Citizens' Voice Project coalition and promote its Fund
the Gap campaign as a step toward full and fair funding of public education.
Fund the Gap calls on NH's governmental leaders to fund at least
those basic elements of an education that are required in its laws and
rules.
The Claremont
Coalition Web site contains links of all
of the decisions and opinions rendered by the Supreme Court in Claremont
School Dist. v. Governor.
June 5, 2005
Keene Sentinel editorial:
Proposed school funding plan is product of irresponsible leadership
May 23, 2005
NH Center for Public Policy Studies
releases analysis of school funding plan passed by the NH House: "More
and Less: How the House’s Education Equity Index Redistributes
State Aid" (PDF)
March 1, 2005
NH Citizens' Voice Project analyzes
the impact of current targeted aid proposals in new report: "Targeted
Aid Plans Don't Fund The Gap, Who Will?" (PDF). Also on the
NHCVP Web site, leave your thoughts about school funding on a survey,
and sign on to the Fund
The Gap e-petition.
November 30, 2004
NH Citizens' Voice Project
launches "Fund the Gap"
campaign for education funding. Read coverage in the Nashua
Telegraph and Laconia
Citizen.
September 29, 2004
Foster's
Daily Democrat reports that the state's education funding coalitions
are working to find common ground. The Portsmouth
Herald calls it the most hopeful plan yet.
August 13, 2004
Lawrence Eagle-Tribune: Five
views of New Hampshire's school funding fight.
(Follow this link and click on the Eagle-Tribune's
News Search tab. Enter Claremont in the "Text to search for"
box, and August, 2004 in the "Dates" box.)
August 13, 2004
Concord
Monitor: Judge rejects cities' appeal.
July 27, 2004
Concord Monitor: Cities go to Superior
Court to challenge new education funding formula
May 28, 2004
Claremont Coalition urges lawmakers to fund
the gap between NH's education mandates and its current funding
level.
May 25, 2004
Legislature passes new state
education aid plan
May 13, 2004
NH Attorney General Peter
Heed says both the current and proposed education funding plans are
unconstitutional
January 20, 2004
Protecting the Constitutional right to public education is the top
priority of NH CAN's 2004 Children's Agenda
January 12, 2004
Former Gov. Walter Peterson urges
defeat of education funding Constitutional amendment (CACR 2)
December 19, 2003
After request by Children's Alliance, state Board
of Education opposes constitutional amendment
January 14, 2003
For second straight year, education
funding tops NH CAN's Children's Agenda.
May 11, 2001
Children's Alliance
calls for change in state's fraudulent education funding formula
