HB 115 Supportive Online Testimony from the Public
This is a production of Citizen in a Republic, which covers New Hampshire legislative politics.
I support this bill. The money should follow the child. Thank you.
—Wesley Littlefield of Belmont, NH
As a taxpayer in New Hampshire, I agree that funds being allocated for the purpose of facilitating a child’s education is a valuable way to use resources. To allow children equal access to those resources regardless of their method of schooling or the income level of their parents makes perfect sense. As a homeschooling parent, in order for my kids to have similar opportunities as their public-schooled counterparts, I have to supply materials and programs myself or apply for outside help through scholarships when we are eligible for them.
Due to many circumstances, public school was not the best option for my family - not the least being that one of my children suffered a major health challenge from birth that would have made regular attendance impossible. Her education would have been spotty at best if not for the flexibility allowed by effectively working her education in around the management of her condition. She is thriving, and I’m thankful we have the option to approach her education in this way.
Currently, the EFA only applies to eligible families. In a public-school setting, however, children benefit via the materials, counseling, transportation, and other support funded by the state - whether their family is low-income or not. My tax dollars contribute to those overhead costs of running a brick-and-mortar school - whether my children attend or not.
Our family has homeschooled our children since 2016. The youngest of my 4 children is now 5. We strongly value the autonomy and flexibility our family has through homeschooling. It provides each of our children with a custom-made educational experience that is best suited to them individually and for our family collectively.
Universal access to Education Freedom Accounts without regard to income level makes sense, especially since families will continue to bear the cost of state-funded education through our tax dollars no matter how much use we make of it. Thank you for prioritizing the educational needs of ALL New Hampshire kids. Passing this bill would be a tremendous testament to New Hampshire’s commitment to live free, allowing every family to use educational funds for the needs of their children in whatever way is most effective for them.
—Keeley Rollert of Franklin, NH
Lets keep the funding helping all families that need the support.
—Diane Knight of Nashua, NH
My children have shown extreme progress the past two years with the held of EFA funding. I feel it should be open for all. It has not only boosted my children’s self esteem it has given us the opportunity to be able to find programs that they have been happy with. I am thankful I can be home with them and see them grow and be excited about how they managed to solve problems they couldn’t while in public due to lack of funds for what was needed.
Not every child learns the same. Some are more hands on vs sitting on a computer all day.
This is a wonderful for all families to help get their children learning at their comfort zone and pace.
—Amy Chambers of Belmont, NH
All children should have the right to the education of their choice..
—Courtney Johnson of Pelham, NH
To Whom It May Concern
I am writing to express my strong support for New Hampshire Bill HB 115, which aims to expand the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program to universally benefit all students across our state.
The EFA program has already transformed the educational landscape for thousands of Granite State students, allowing them to pursue personalized learning opportunities that better align with their unique needs and aspirations. It is essential that we extend this valuable resource to every student in New Hampshire, regardless of their family’s income level. Every child deserves access to an education that empowers them to thrive.
My family currently does not qualify for the EFA program. I have two children who thrive with non-traditional approaches to learning. Access to the EFA would allow me to broaden the educational opportunities that are available to them so that I can better meet their educational needs.
Please consider supporting this bill.
Best regards,
Heather Long Haverhill, New Hampshire
—Heather Long of Haverhill, NH
My Granddaughter has benefited greatly from the remote school she attends. The school not only upholds the Christian values that we cherish in every class, the school is also very advanced and she is getting a quality education with the flexibility of remote live classes. The EFA has made it affordable to us and I believe every family should have the right and the freedom to educate their children how they see fit for whatever works the best for their family. If the family is using an alternate method of teaching/learning they should be given the funds available to help do so since as taxpayers in our state we all put money towards education. If we feel the public school system is not the best place for our children then we should be able to use those funds for a different way to educate them.
—Mary Oakes of Portsmouth, NH
I Lisa DeFeudis support this bill.
—Lisa Defeudis of Windham, NH
The EFA allow families more options to provide their children with opportunities to a better education outside of their school district. Moving to a better school district isn’t an option for many families. Maybe it’s not financially viable, or like for my family, they have an established business at their home in their town and relocating would have broader implications. I support access to EFA accounts to all who can use them to better their child’s education.
—Deidra Benjamin of Pittsfield, NH
My family is able to send our two daughters to a small private school in a town nearby because of this fund. Public education was not a good fit for my older daughter who has an IEP. Taxes fund education because it is in the best interest for society to educate our children: the future. Let the funds follow the child regardless of where they receive their education. Parents know what is best for their children.
—Devon Matthews of Wilmot, NH
Every New Hampshire family deserves access to an Education Freedom Account. This isn’t a form of assistance or “financial aid”—it’s simply their rightful share of the funds allocated for their children’s education. Tax dollars should not exclusively fund government (public) schools. Families should have the freedom to choose the best educational path for their children without facing income based discrimination.
—Lindsay Lobas of Pelham, NH
Our family, and specifically our son, has greatly benefited from the opportunities afforded to us by the EFA program. After preschool, we decided to enroll him in a microschool where he would receive individualized education in a very nurturing environment. Due the attentiveness of his teacher made possible by his very small class size, we were able to identify a potential learning disability while he was in kindergarten. Now he receives regular tutoring for what we believe might be dyslexia. We have been able to use our EFA funds to pay not just for his schooling, but also for his reading tutor. Now, just a year and a half later, he has almost caught up to grade-level for his reading skills. I believe the combination of the intimate class size plus dedicated reading help has set our son up for success and allowed him to thrive. It has been a joy to watch his confidence grow!
Children, as all humans, have individual and varying needs. The EFA program has given us the freedom and means to choose what we feel will best support our son. I encourage the House to pass HB115. Thank you!
—Amy Daigle of Auburn, NH
After many years battling the public schools to get my child the education he deserved, stop bullies from tormenting him and to honor his IEP, I had to draw the line when my son was suspended from school for his medical disability. The school.said “it’s a disruption”. I immediately pulled him from school and turned over every leaf we could find to try to find a way to get my bright child a good, safe education. I consequently removed all of my children from the public schools. That’s when we found the EFA program. Without the EFA my son would never have been able to get an alternative education, my daughter would still be teaching her classmates while her own education was neglected, and my oldest child would still be behind from covid.
Thanks to the miracle of the EFA my oldest not only caught up, but quickly surpassed his peers and graduated high school whith high honors. My IEP son overcame his educational trauma, and is not only learning, but thriving and even has long term goals he now believes he can achieve! And my daughter went from being held back by her peers, to falling into her own pace and exceeding everyone’s expectations on a regular basis. They now love school, and are flourishing.
—Renea Dupree of Troy, NH
There is broad bipartisan agreement throughout the entire state that property taxes are prohibitively high and hurting the ability of young and middle income people to move here including people with families and children. Because schools are the bulk of property tax spending, it is imperative that education options that don’t require huge tax spending per student are brought to bear. Purely from a financial position the fewer children educated in the traditional public school model the better.
High property taxes are right up there with the very most important issues of the day in New Hampshire. There is no way to address that without addressing the high cost of schooling. This is easy low hanging fruit.
—Daniel Koenig of Brookline, NH
Our family has been blessed to be able to give our son the best learning environment for him because of the EFA funding. He is thriving now where he was struggling in his past school. We would love to be able to continue to return him to his current school next year, but our income will be just over the qualifying limit. This fund has been what has allowed us to send him there. Both my husband and I work 3 jobs. Please make this assistance available regardless of income.
—Sarah Cheek of Dover, NH
If universal school vouchers are continued to be used, then the schools they are used for should be held to the same standards as public schools with regards to student acceptance and not be allowed to not provide services required by the federal government. They should be required to provide appropriate supports for children with any disability accepted at public schools as well support for English Language Learners. This particularly should apply to charter schools which are public schools. If a private or religion affiliated school can’t provide adequate services for these students, then vouchers should not be provided for them. Federal or state laws may currently allow this, but it doesn’t make it morally acceptable or humane. Stop the hate!
—Ray Fortier of Manchester, NH
All children deserve an education. Taxes pay for education. Funds need to follow the child wherever they receive their education.
—C Bond of Chichester, NH
I am for the best education possible for our students. This bill supports adapting education for individual needs and allows more and better options for more families.
—David White of Rochester, NH
The EFA has been the single reason our boys have been able to be a part of a school environment that fits their individual needs as students. Without the EFA, we could not afford to give this opportunity to our children. They have all grown so much academically and socially because we were given the opportunity to choose what school fit best and we hope every family has access to that choice. Thank you for considering all NH families as this paves the way for a stronger future for all students and in turn for our state!
—Kim Hasty of Portsmouth, NH
Hello, When reading this, please read this as if you have written this…. that this is your story to tell… your daughters story… their chance to have access to private education… based on limited funding accessibility (if they qualify) by stepping into our daughters early life story.
Since 2020, we [parents] have placed your two daughters in private school and have seen the enormous benefits for them, thriving beyond our expectations!Please know that education is no longer a privilege but a necessity to building a strong foundation for lasting success.
However, there were limitations that allow all us to have the opportunity to have elected to place our daughters into a private school setting in their early elementary foundational years. But by hearing our plea to approved HB115, it would allow us the access to education funds regardless of income or other limitations beyond our financial means. Education is no longer a privilege but a necessity to building a strong foundation for lasting success. We are asking to have access to education funds regardless of our annual income status.
Our oldest graduated in 2023 from private school and no longer needed to be supported by an ISP by her junior year based a private school environment and a parent’s choice of how their children are educated not by the government, public school board. She has since gone on to college to purse her Masters in Education., she writes books, singing and even teaching herself to play piano We are beyond proud of her accomplishments and her resilience in being able to overcome her education challenges. We never disclosed our financial challenges to our daughter in order to send them private school but shared that we made adjustments in order to send them to private schooling. But…why are they not entitled to attend private school? Is this just based on our income? Why can’t our daughter be enrolled to the #1 ranked private school in New Hampshire? Why are they not qualified to receive financial assistance because of their parent’s income? How can we do this? Where can we get help? These are questions that I have but I’m sure that we are not the only ones.
In fall of 2024 we received financial assistance based solely on our low income from years past, our youngest daughter continued to reap the benefits in remaining within the private school environment. We all support or contribute to many of these programs when paying taxes across our life time. We are in favor of supporting HB115 for full access to educational opportunities that fund life long opportunities that are not give to families, even ours who make just a few dollars above the monitory qualifications.
We urge you all to consider our current situation as we do not know if our income status will qualify for the 2025-2026 school year for our youngest daughter to receive financial assistance. If she does not qualify our only alternative would be to send her back to the public school environment with larger class sizes would impact her focus and success that she has achieved thus far. She thrives with 1:1 to small group (2-3 students) setting and not having access to this stable environment would impact her focus with her daily, no minute by minute struggle with ADHD. She has been able to thrive and make friends within the school community. She has been able to make lasting connections with many of the teachers and educators in the last five years. She has been asked many times over the years if she would like to return to public school and gave a resounding NO. This is why we could not put her in a compromising situation to return to public school.
As your story, oops, our story ends here today, please note the lasting positive and life changing impact that HB115 could have to our youngest daughter’s education within the private school community and to the financial assistance she (and others) could have access to. We are praying that she will be eligible for the upcoming school year based on her parent’s income.
Thank you for your time and consideration on passing HB115.
Blessings, M. & R. Brouillette
—Mechelle Brouillette of Lee, NH, representing Myself, my daughters
The EFA accounts is necessary in order to provide obtainable options for families. With increasing numbers of students with diagnosis, the ability to thrive rather than survive can be a direct result of their school placement.
—Laura Casoni of Manchester, NH
My kids are absolutely thriving because of the educate I’m able to provide them with EFA funds. From PE at our local CrossFit gym offering a kids program specifically designed for us to an awesome tutoring program we are a part of, we are so grateful for the financial help this program provides us to pay for these services. All three of my kids are benefiting from the custom education we have the ability to give them.
—Meg Kennedy of Littleton, NH
I strongly support this bill which will allow my family to better serve our homeschooled children. There is no reasonable justification for income limits in the EFA program. Given the amount of property taxes I pay to support a public school district I don’t ever plan to utilize, this would be a major step in the right direction for NH families. Thank you.
—David Etlinger of Lyndeborough, NH
I firmly support this bill. Many home schools are not able to meet the needs of particular students and educational choice is critical for student success today. Many public schools are failing our children! Tax dollars should be used for school choice not only the one school your government says you can attend at no cost. My children are both successful because they did NOT attend our town school. It would not have met their educational needs. Please support this bill.
—Kelly Mullin of Amherst, NH
Universal EFA’s are the best hope to improve the academic performance of NH children.
—Leo Plante of Dublin, NH
NH public education is in serious need of reform, too much money is wasted on buildings, facilities, administration and things not germane to the teaching future generations the necessary skills. The only way to change this corrupt system is through school choice allowing all NH parents to control the education spending for their children and remove it from the hands of the corrupt education bureaucrats.
—Bryan Peter of Dover, NH
The EFA Program has provided significant financial relief to my family, easing a considerable burden. As parents, we are not affluent and do not have excess funds, but we made an early commitment to ensuring our three children received the best possible education. For years, we sacrificed and made difficult financial choices in order to afford a private education that best met the needs of our children and our family. The school our children attend charges a fraction of the tuition fees compared to many private schools in the state, offering a more affordable option for families. While our children have never been enrolled in the public school system, we were still obligated to pay taxes that fund public education, in addition to covering private school tuition. It is a true blessing to now have the opportunity to use our tax dollars to directly support the education of our youngest child, who is still in school.
—Tammy Cates of Nashua, NH
Although my wife and I have not had children of our own in our 50 years of marriage, we support the concept of universal school choice. We have never advocated for the current income-based school choice system. While we have some concerns about the program’s administrative structure, we firmly believe that this transformative policy is essential for reforming and enhancing education in New Hampshire.
—Joseph Famularo of Portsmouth, NH, representing Myself and family
I support the idea of universal school choice, and I have never supported the current system of income based school choice. While I have some issues with the structure of administration of the program, I still believe that this is a transformational policy necessary to reform and improve education in New Hampshire.
—Vivian Johnson of Hollis, NH
I support this bill please pass.
—Julie Sims of Guild, NH
I support this bill please pass.
—Roy Sims of Guild, NH
What is the purpose of education? It is to give a person(child) the knowledge they need to become productive and effective members of society. It is a way to learn new skills and concepts about life. Education should be tailored to the child and the EFA does exactly that. It has helped me and my family immensely. With my child’s learning style, I am able to best accommodate his path to adulthood. He can learn a wide variety of things that are not conventionally taught in public schools. Not only have the results been poor but the environment has become hostile and not conducive to learning nor developing correctly. EFA allows children of all backgrounds to seek the education that best meets their needs. It is an ESSENTIAL tool is making sure we have a well-educated populous. Thank you for reading this testimony and I hope HB115 can be a reality for everyone.
—Brandon Worthley of CENTER OSSIPEE, NH
I agree income should not determine eligibility for a student’s family to qualify for an Education Freedom Account. Please remove the income requirement.
—Jeannine Kenyon of Newmarket, NH
I enthusiastically support HB 115 which will if passed make Education Freedom Accounts available universally and without regard to the income of a student’s family. As a retired lifelong educator, I very much understand and am in strong sympathy with the desire of students and their families to enjoy the option of enrolling in a school which in their estimation will more closely meet their educational needs, and without regard for their income. I strongly support school choice for the citizens, families and students of New Hampshire.
—Richard Arms of Hopkinton, NH
Please support universal school choice by supporting HB115. Alan Graustein Sanbornton, NH
—alan graustein of sanbornton, NH
Having not only raised four children, but also having teachers in the family across four generations, I wish to emphasize the importance of school choice. Please support the bill for Education Freedom Accounts.
—Sue Allen of Hollis, NH
I am a Middle class Citizen, I have qualified for the CSF for the past 3 years and I cannot tell you how much that this has helped us!! Without the Support of the CSF for the past 3 years I would have a hard time meeting our Tuition to the school that My Daughter attends and because of this we have been able to give her a better learning experience,
I fully support this bill and you should as well, Parents should be able to get the help they need to send thier children to the schools that we choose and should not be forced to go to public schools which are already to overcrowded.
—Daniel Danjou of Manchester, NH, NH
I support this for generations to come.
—Rebecca Garnett of Rochester, NH
weI support this for generations to come.
—Marc Garnett of Rochester, NH
I believe the money should follow the child. Whether that be public school, private school, homeschool, etc. The student should be able to utilize the money that was allocated for their education, regardless of where their education takes place and regardless of income amount. Thank you.
—Ashley Warner of Belmont, NH, representing Myself and my child
Please, for the love of God, make Education Freedom Accounts FOR ALL.
I have been horrified by the politically-divisive changes in curriculum that are being pushed in the public school system.
My son came home from KINDERGARTEN, saying that he “felt bad about being white”, because of things a school staff member had read and said to him.
My household took a huge financial hit to start homeschooling.
And now I pay 75% of my property taxes to the school that fan the flames of race division, and demoralize children because of their skin color.
Please, for the love of God, make Education Freedom Accounts FOR ALL.
—Anthony Santoriello of Merrimack, NH
Please pass universal education freedom accounts asap. Children should not be victims of their zip codes. And parents must be empowered and respected as both customers and the ultimate advocates for their children.
—Daniel Perrinez of Bow, NH
We support raising the income limits for Education Freedom Accounts.
Our children have greatly benefited from the Education Freedom Accounts since their implementation in New Hampshire. This program has allowed them to thrive academically through a proven, high-standard curriculum that includes award-winning materials and aligns with the values we prioritize. Additionally, they have been able to pursue their interests in art, music, and physical activities like gymnastics, swimming, and karate, which have significantly boosted their self-esteem. This program has also given us more quality family time and helped instill important life values that benefit both our community and society as a whole.
Raising the income limits for Education Freedom Accounts would allow more families to provide their children with the education that best meets their needs. Expanding access to these opportunities will empower more children to become motivated, responsible, and well-rounded individuals who can contribute to the success and growth of our state.
—Jamie Mendenhall of Peterborough, NH
I fully support the bill to increase income limits for education freedom accounts. This bill will empower more families to choose the best education for their children. Tailoring education to the specific child’s needs can only help our state grow and prosper.
—John Mendenhall of Peterborough, NH
I have witnessed firsthand the positive impact that the Education Freedom Accounts have had on so many NH families. Please consider passing this bill so that all children might have the opportunity to attend the school that aligns with their learning needs and family.
—Maria Therriault of Gorham, NH
Supporting this bill would make a significant improvement in education freedom in NH!
—Jacob Therriault of Gorham, NH
This bill makes Education Freedom accounts available universally and we support this endeavor. Thanks for considering supporting this bill.
—Marjorie Barton of Northfield, NH
Please support HB 115 and Education Freedom Accounts in New Hampshire.
—Kevin Murphy of Hampstead, NH
I whole heartedly believe in this bill. The program should be offed to all who want to home school. Being able to help my son at home at his pace and watch his face light up when he accomplished his goals is price this bit would be impossible with out this program.
—Amy Gage of Manchester, NH
We moved to Hollis for the public schools because my wife and I are both public school kids. I wanted my kids to go to school with their neighbors and kids they play sports with. After two months, we pulled my oldest son and sent him back to private school. My tax dollars should fund my kids education however I decide to educate them. There should be no income requirement. The money should follow the kid.
—Patrick Parks of Hollis, NH
We support the idea of universal school choice, and we have never supported the current system of income based school choice. While we have some issues with the structure of administration of the program, we still believe that this is a transformational policy necessary to reform and improve education in New Hampshire.
—Jim and Nina Kelly of Auburn, NH
Back in 2002, we were living in Windham, and I was homeschooling our three children, ages 6, 4 and 3.
In August of that year, our two sons, Ben and Sam were diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare and progressive genetic disease. The neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital told us “Take them home and love them because they won’t survive their teens.” We learned that they would be in wheelchairs by age 10 and that in their teens they would need full assistance with all activities of daily living. We would be showering, toileting, dressing and feeding our boys for the rest of their lives.
This devastating diagnosis did not dissuade us from wanting to homeschool. I went down to the Windham SAU and although it was not legally mandated to provide special education services to a homeschooler, the Superintendent allowed me to bring Ben and Sam to the elementary school once a week for a half hour of PT and OT.
My husband often traveled and as I was carrying my two sons up the stairs to bed every night, it became obvious we needed a handicap accessible home. We tried to stay in Windham but eventually built a wheelchair accessible home right next door in Pelham.
Before we bought land to build, I went back to Superintendent. At that time Pelham and Windham shared an SAU. I asked if we built in Pelham, would the district continue to give Ben and Sam PT and OT services once a week. She said, “of course”. She was mistaken and I was naïve. As soon as we moved into our new home, the Pelham School Board denied our request. I might add, the physical and occupational therapists both had time in their schedules, and it would not have cost the taxpayers an extra penny.
The Pelham School Board told us if we wanted PT or OT services to enroll them in the public school. It was all or nothing. The town either had to foot the entire Special Education bill for over a decade including IEP’s, one-on-one instructional aids, wheelchair buses and drivers, a Hoyer lift and other equipment, assistive technology, tutoring, PT, OT, speech, extended school year services and maybe even an out-of-district placement or two. I’m no expert but I’m guessing that would have cost the taxpayers of Pelham a few million dollars.
If you want to know why the Special Education costs in NH are through the roof, perhaps start with the “all or nothing” position some districts probably take.
What we did instead was enroll all 3 of our children in a private Christian School which we paid for out of pocket with no cost to our town. The students, teachers and administrators at our small private school helped Ben and Sam over the years and they all became better humans as a result. Ben was Salutatorian of his class in 2014 and went on to graduate Cum Laude with a Bachelors in Social Work from Gordon College in 2018. Sam never went on to college, but he is an accomplished writer and speaker, most recently giving the keynote speech for World Duchenne Awareness day on September 7th at the Quincy Marriott.
My experience is that smaller private schools and homeschoolers can often do a better job at a much lower cost. I agree with Commissioner Edelblut that many who campaigned against Education Freedom Accounts simply prefer the government school model and don’t want competition. But New Hampshire is the Live Free or Die state. No one should be forced into an educational model that isn’t right for their kids or their families.
—Lori Safford of Pelham, NH
I’m asking you to support this bill to make education freedom accounts available universally.
—Jeri Kauffman of Laconia, NH
Dear Members of the Committee,
Making Education Freedom Accounts universally available is vital to the success of New Hampshire. We see education as a top priority at the national, state and local levels, yet the answer from most - if not all - schools systems is that they need/want more money. In my own school district, we are now paying around $30,000 per child educated in the system and yet still underperform in most academic areas. The public education system is failing and continually increasing funding has yet to show the promised academic improvements!
In contrast, providing all parents with roughly one-tenth the amount the districts receive (and NOT reducing that district’s budget even $1) has proven to be highly effective in allowing families to select the best education for their children. Removing the income barrier will allow all families the opportunity to participate while eliminating the need to monitor and adjust for the ever-changing economic pressures such as the recent rampant inflation that quickly makes the budget of even a dual-income home get tight.
Freedom Accounts are also well managed and monitored. Besides the funds used directly for textbooks and supporting materials, many funds are used in support of local Granite-Staters and businesses who provide their skills and talents as tutors, instructors and coaches.
All parents are the primary educators of their children. While many choose to defer the public system, Education Freedom Accounts support our New Hampshire families to make the best choice for each and every child. Removing the income threshold will allow ALL New Hampshire families that same choice.
Live Free or Die, Rob Kenney, Temple, NH
—Robert Kenney of Temple, NH
With so much wrong in our public schools and parents being circumvented with what is being done with/to their children, we all need more CHOICE on them getting an actual education! Please vote to increase the opportunity they have to give their kids a better chance to succeed in life? Vote FOR HBill 115!!
—Sally Staude of Stratham, NH
To members of the Education Committee I am writing in support of this EFA bill. I believe all families should have a choice in where their children are educated . The amount of public school funding per pupil is out of control and testing shows our students continue to fall behind. Families need an option to leave these failing schools. Although I’d like to see each town’s per pupil amount follow the student, this is a step in the right direction. Thank you Kathleen Soule Carroll NH
—Kathleen Soule of Carroll, NH
I support this bill and it will give parents options to provide their children a good education while at the same time reducing property taxes
—Mark Ilaria of Bedford, NH
Sharon residents are paying $25,000.00 per student while Jaffrey resident pay $13,000.00 per student. Both schools are under %50 percent proficiency for the states test scores. Jeffery school is closer to Sharon than Conval.
—Michael Williamson of Sharon, NH
The EFA allows parents to educate their children in a way that is fit for them, without such a high burden of cost. It’s a huge asset for families in our state and shouldn’t be limited.
—Josselyn Dieppa of Deerfield, NH
Hello, I am a dedicated science teacher in a private school system in South Central New Hampshire. I am also a father of 4, and my wife is also a teacher. My wife and I strive to provide our children with a well-rounded and spiritual education that we feel can’t be experienced in the public school system. I chose to become a private school teacher to help off-set the cost of their education through employee-based tuition remission, but this doesn’t cover all of the costs of this private school education. Being a teacher limits my income, and makes it challenging to afford the education we value.
Access to EFA funds has not only made it much easier for my family to manage the expense of our school, but it has also permitted us to allocate funds to enriching our children’s lives with music lessons, art instruction, and athletics, which continually helps them grow and explore their own passions.
I hope those hearing this will vote to approve this bill to continue supporting the children of teachers in this state.
Thank you,
Will Minehart
Wilton, New Hampshire
—Will Minehart of Wilton, NH
Greetings Honorable members of the house,
I would like to extend my enthusiastic support for this bill. Tailored learning, increased parental engagement, school improvement through competition, and removing educational disparities all stand to be gained by allowing universal access expansion of this grant provided by the NH Department of Education. These won’t just be realized by private families, private schools, educational co-ops, and homeschooling groups, but also by our public education system that is clamoring for these increased outcomes.
As a parent of children that are eligible and thriving thanks to the EFAs, I cannot express in words how much this program has impacted our lives. Like many families in the Granite State, we have experienced extreme shifts in our financial status in the past few years, being able to utilize a portion of the state funds allocated to educate our children has allowed us to keep their education undisturbed as we determine how to tighten our budget in the home in other areas. They are given the opportunity for consistently individualized education and they are not confined by their zip code regarding their educational outcomes. This should be the gold standard option for all children in the granite state.
Please vote OTP on HB 115.
Sincerely, Brittany Ping
—Brittany Ping of Manchester, NH
Parental school choice creates competition in the education marketplace which in turn supports meritocracy. Test scores and results matter in the modern global talent pool. Our children must receive a first world class education to survive in a first world class economy! Otherwise the U.S. will become a third world country.
—Scott Gornall of Spofford, NH
My children attend private school and the tuition bill is certainly a hardship for our family but one we are willing to work through as private education is extremely important to us. With access to the education freedom account we could pay for their tuition and not feel the hardship of the bill as a working family.
—Stephanie Parker of Loudon, NH
I have several children who benefit from this program and they go to amazing schools. This would help our family out so much.
—Ashley Stanley of Goffstown, NH
I have several children who benefit from this program and they go to amazing schools. This would help our family out so much.
—Henry Stanley of Goffstown, NH
My daughter started her homeschooling journey this past September and it has been heaven sent for our family. My daughter was not being given the tools needed to help with her learning needs in public school. She has been thriving since removing her from public school and putting in a small microschool. With cost of living increasing dramatically, I think it is so important that ALL families that choose to take their childs’ education into their own hands, be given the same respect if not MORE respect than public schools. In order for that to happen, the income restrictions need to be removed. The restrictions are causing middle class families not to be able to help their children succeed.
—Dianna DeNapoli of Manchester, NH
I am the proud adoptive parent of three children who were adopted from foster care
A lot of these children coming out of foster care have extreme special needs when it comes to education, and although I consider myself middle class and able to take care of my children’s needs, this world is very expensive and I cannot afford to give them the education that they require, and they are forever being expelled from public school
Removing the income limits will help me assess what I can do for my children to give them the best possible education in truthfully, all children, no matter what their background or what their needs are deserve to have their needs met.
Please consider this testimony for my mama who is trying so hard to meet all of her children’s needs and still pay the mortgage and this would be so much better if EFA did not have income limits!
—Jessica Mendes of Goffstown, NH
I am a parent of 3 children, and my oldest is autistic and has Tourette Syndrome. When he was in 3rd grade, and returning to school after COVID, he experienced a mental health crisis and struggled with significant social anxiety. It became clear that public school was not working for him, and because of the grant funding offered post COVID he was able to attend a Prenda pod at no extra cost to our family. He has thrived in this setting in a way he never did in public school. This year, that funding ran out, and we do not qualify for EFA due to our income being over the limit. We have family who fortunately are able to help us pay for him to continue in the alternative options, but this bill would make it so we did not have to rely on that for him to continue to thrive. Public school is not the best option for all kids. Our other 2 attend public school and thrive there, but having the freedom to meet our kids need without a financial burden is so important.
—Rosemary Emrich of Hooksett, NH
I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed legislation to remove household income criteria from the eligibility requirements for the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program. This change represents a crucial step toward ensuring that all families, regardless of their financial situation, have equitable access to educational opportunities tailored to their children’s unique needs.
The current household income restriction creates unnecessary barriers for many families who, while not classified as low-income, still struggle to provide the best possible education for their children. Education is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, and many students benefit from options that traditional schools may not provide, such as specialized programs, alternative learning environments, or private schooling. By removing the income criteria, the EFA program can truly level the playing field, empowering all families to make choices based on what is best for their children—not their financial circumstances.
This bill is not about undermining public education; it is about fostering innovation and choice while ensuring every child has access to a learning environment where they can thrive. In fact, expanding eligibility will encourage healthy competition and collaboration between educational institutions, ultimately benefiting all students in our state.
As someone who cares deeply about the future of our children, I urge you to support this important legislation. Removing income criteria is a bold yet necessary step toward making educational freedom a reality for every family in [State].
Thank you for your dedication to improving educational opportunities for our state’s children. I look forward to seeing this bill move forward.
—Thomas Burton of Keene, NH
As someone that just misses the income threshold this would help with the cost incurred by sending my kids to private school.
—Kyley Desai of Salem, NH
I am a mother of a child attending a private Christian School in New Hampshire. My husband and I committed ourselves when our first child was born 23 years ago that we would make sacrifices so that our children could be homeschled or educated in alliance with our beliefs. That meant public education was not an option. So, we have done without vacations and other luxuries so that we could accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, that goal has become more and more difficult for us to achieve with the cost of housing, taxes and pretty much all of our expenses absolutely skyrocketing. We have one child left in school. She is a Sophomore and we are working hard to keep her in private school for her last years of highschool. We have not qualified for the scholarship as our income just surpasses the limits. We would greatly appreciate and benefit from the relief of financial aid through this program.
As a taxpayer, whose tax money goes towards the public education that we do not partake of, we would LOVE it if we calould benefit for some financial aid towards the education we choose for our children. Please, allow this bill to pass with either higher income allowances or no limits, so that more parents can have the peace of mind that we are providing the best education we can for our children.
—Nancy Nadeau of Greenfield, NH
Dear Hon. Committee Members:
I write to urge you to please support HB115 and thereby make Education Freedom Accounts available universally. I strongly support the idea of universal school choice and oppose the current system of income-based school choice. HB115 is a vital measure for reforming and improving education in our state.
Thank you for helping NH families best address their educational needs with the options this common-sense bill provides them.
Sincerely, Tom Allen Hollis, NH
—Tom Allen of Hollis, NH
I am a mother of 3 school age children. For various reasons and learning differences my children are currently homeschooled. My husband and I are above the current limit for school choice funding, but buying materials and getting the necessary things to ensure my children are getting the best education possible is a stretch for our family. When my daughter starts high school we would like to option to look at our choices objectively. We currently live 20 minutes from the public high school where our district would zone her, and 10 minutes from a private high school that we feel would be a much better choice for our daughter’s education. This bill passing would allow us the option to choose the school we feel is the best fit for our child and her learning needs. I hope this bill will pass, there should be no limit to parents, who know their children and their individual needs best, being able to make the right choice for their education. Thank you.
—Mary Pollock of Grantham, NH
The opportunity for education freedom of choice being available to all families would be live changing for my family and many others I know that live in NH as well. My husband and I came to NH to attend college and then stayed after we graduated to start our family here in the Granite state. We have no other family in the area and both work full-time to support our own family as a young couple. While we are grateful that we both have two wonderful jobs and we earn a decent living, most of our income goes to paying off student loans, utilities, property taxes, car payments and our mortgage; we just get by paying for all of the basic necessities for our family, but still we don’t qualify for the Education Freedom programs here in NH based upon our combined income.
Our children have special education needs that we feel cannot be met at the local public school and so we have sought educational resources at another private school in the area. However, this comes at a financial burden for our family leading us to feel uncertain from a year-to-year basis if we are able to continue to have our 4 children enrolled long-term. The opportunity to become eligible for this program if the income limit was extended or removed would be live changing for our family and children. They have thrived in their current school and I am hopeful that this program may become a possibility for our family allowing them to continue to flourish.
—Meghan Von Hassel (Beggs) of Wilmot, NH
I am a tax-paying resident on Keene and both of my children attend private Catholic School. My husband and I made this decision because the quality of education at the private school far surpasses that of the public schools in our district. Safety, communication, ideology, philosophy of education, and gender identity issues are the main reasons we made the decision to send our kids to a private school. We are under the belief that some things (gender issues, politics, etc.) should be up to the parents to discuss with their kids and not up to the whims of the school. Providing the parents with the opportunity to send their children to the school of their choice, is of utmost importance and financial restriction should not be among the reasons a child does not receive the education they deserve.
—Rebecca Bezio of Keene, NH
I support this bill. All expenses have sky rocketed in the recent years and those who were once able to afford extra educational expenses, are finding it harder to do so. Anything to make it easier and more obtainable for middle and low income families to help their children get the education they deserve is a blessing and very much welcomed.
—Sonny Dahood of Raymond, NH
As a family of 4 who makes over the current income level to receive funds from Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) I am writing in support of this Bill to make all Granite State families eligible for EFAs, regardless of income! This would make it much more affordable for families, such as ours, just above the current EFA income limits to provide their children with access to the learning environment that best meets their needs.
My children have always attended private school since Kindergarten. I currently have 1 enrolled at Trinity High School as a Junior and 1 at St. Joseph Regional Jr. High School as an 8th grader. My husband and I work full time, myself in the Manchester School District and him at Hannaford. I also work a summer job to help with our income as just with our regular jobs we struggle financially. Even with our struggle we do not qualify for the EFAs as our income is above the limit. I am nervous we will not be able to continue sending our children to private school without access to EFAs.. Looking at the tuition cost for next school year having two children attend Trinity High School at a cost of almost $30,000, I would have to spend almost $3,000 per month just for tuition alone. This is more than my mortgage payment would be. Our financial standing would not allow us to continue sending our children Trinity at the given tuition. We are greatly appreciative of the efforts the school has done to provide us with some financial assistance throughout the years, however it is still a challenge for us. With the increasing costs compared to what we have paid in previous years, being able to access EFAs to make this happen would be a great addition and cause less financial stress on our family.
Both of my children are hard working, smart, thoughtful, & caring students who continues to amaze me with their determination and drive and I want to continue to be able to provide them the best opportunity for their education as I see fit. Please consider passing this bill!!
—Shannon Gagnon of Manchester, NH
My boys have attended a private christian school since they were in preschool. My youngest son is in 3rd grade and my older son is in 6th grade now. We love their school, but it’s been a huge sacrifice financially for us to send the boys there. I am a teacher and my husband has a great job, but his student loans are astronomical, his monthly payment is like paying another mortgage payment. We don’t currently qualify for EFA, even though he has a large student loan. EFA doesn’t factor in student loans or any other debt when you apply.
If this bill passes it would be a huge blessing for our family. The boys really love school. I would really hate to move them to public school, away from their friends and their amazing teachers, just because we can’t afford to send them anymore.
Thank you for your consideration, Lindsay Foley
—Lindsay Foley of Loudon, NH
My daughter tried public school for a couple years. It was not a good fit for her, she got very nervous around too many kids and had a hard time concentrating to do her work. We decided to homeschool her starting in 2020. We could really benefit from being eligible for EFA due to all the cost of curriculums. We currently miss the income limit by $4,000.
—Dawn Woodward of Franklin, NH
I support this bill
—Elizabeth Hamel of Brookline, NH
Hello, the passing of this bill would be absolutely life changing for us. This would positively impact so many families. The current limit is very restrictive and only allows for lower income families to have access to these needed funds. What about the middle class families…? What about us? We are over the current limit but not by much. We are left here in the middle. We need the financial help and on paper do not qualify. We can not afford to pay the going tuition for a microschool pod for our 2 daughters. Public school is not ideal for every student. We need educational options to not be limited by the lack of ability to pay. Please, please, consider this heavily when making your decision with this bill. Thank you for your time. Sincerely and warmly, Elaine Santana
—Elaine Santana of Londonderry, NH
The money should follow the student. Each SAU should be incentivized to retain and attract students by having economic consequences that reward or penalize for performance.
—Leonard Evansic of Bedford, NH
This would greatly help my family.
—Liam Hodge of Goffstown, NH
HB115 will help our family to afford the education and learning environment that will best meet our children’s needs. PLEASE pass this bill!!! Thank you!
—Christine Hodge of Goffstown, NH
My children and our family have greatly benefited from the assistance we receive from our EFA which have allowed us to send our children to a school that provides them with a great education and college preparation.
—Andrea Pearson of Nelson, NH
HB115 will help our family to afford the education that is best for our children. Please pass this bill! Thank you.
—James Hodge of Goffstown, NH
I support this bill as a NH resident with school-age children. I have had my children in private schools for the last 10 years and would like to continue to do so with public funding support.
—James Keady of Sunapee, NH
My name is Kim Poltak and I am the mother of two girls, Josie (8) and Brea (6). I am in strong support of this bill passing. My daughters have been attending private Catholic school in NH for almost 4 years now. Sending my daughters to private school is very important to our family. My oldest daughter, Josie, suffers from severe anxiety disorder as diagnosed by her Neuropsychologist. She also has a diagnosis of combined types ADHD and social communication disorder. I recently had a meeting with her doctor to discuss which interventions and how we can best help Josie. In the meeting, I frankly asked her doctor if sending Josie to public school would benefit her needs. Her doctor told me that in Josie’s case she does not believe it would benefit her, she in fact thinks it would be more of a detriment to her. She explained that the small school size and comfort that provides to Josie each year is very beneficial to her. She explained that because we are a small school with a limited number of special education students, that Josie’s needs are more likely to be met here than in public school. Josie is what we call a silent sufferer. She powers through each and every day trying to be perfect. She never asks for extra help. She is never rude or a behavioral concern. Holding all these big struggles in is such a burden on her. If this bill were to pass, it would allow my family to allocate some of the funds that we are currently putting towards their private school education, towards services for Josie. It will take the financial burden off our shoulders and allow us to focus on helping her be successful in the world. Please consider passing this bill for the silent sufferers like Josie. They need this more than you can imagine.
—Kimberly Poltak of Manchester, NH
This is critically important to NH families, my two children attend STA (Saint Thomas Aquinas) and they are thriving. Unfortunately our income is $2000 over the eligible limit for EFA, which creates a financial hardship, I work in public education and my husband is a NH small business owner with variable income. Allowing families to have access to EFA would be a wonderful option for many hardworking NH families that are slightly over the limit for EFA!
—Rebecca Barbour of Rye, NH
I support HB115.
—Barbara Gaudreault of Manchester, NH
There should be no limit for use of the educational freedom accounts as we all pay taxes regardless of our income.
—Brian Neil of Canterbury, NH
I support removing income limits for the educational freedom accounts.
—Amanda Neil of Canterbury, NH
We have been fortunate to be able to send our kids to private school which otherwise would not have been possible without the EFA funding! Our kids have received an amazing education and challenged in their classes. They’ve been held accountable and learned to be organized. The public school system did no favors for my kids unfortunately..they were not held accountable to complete homework nor were they challenged in their classes. EFA should be made available to all of NH regardless of what their income may be. I am just so appreciative of the opportunity we’ve had. Thank you!
—Erin Stonis of Belmont, NH
I support removing income limits for the educational freedom accounts.
—Diane Johnson of Canterbury, NH
Hello, I urge you to support this bill expanding the eligibility of families to make use of the School Choice program for the betterment of their children. I am a father of 4 children, 3 of who benefit from the Education Freedom Accounts and are thriving at the school we’ve selected for them.
I am also a small business owner in Newport, and am employed full time. As such, I must be mindful of the income requirements that the EFA benefit carries and the thresholds which must be met to qualify. This causes me to plan my business operations accordingly. I would like to incrementally grow my business every year, but doing so would be only a slight increase in net income but a loss of the EFA benefit; resulting in a net loss for me personally.
Due to these counterproductive forces I would have to gamble and create major growth of my business to offset the loss of the EFA. While ideal, the upfront investment and risk of doing so isn’t worth the potential losses so I plan to keep my business performance relatively level.
Why should this committee care? Growing my business would require:
- Borrowing money to expand my business-a growth of economic activity to my bank and it’s community (New London)
- Expanding my business means higher property taxes-taxes which create the revenues within Newport
- Employing more staff for longer business hours-increased wages paid, their spending, local economic activity…
I hope by now you understand my position, I value the EFA program and appreciate the benefit I, and my children experience. I wholeheartedly believe in the growth and support of school choice. But given the current income requirement, until I can safely jump the gap from my current business performance to a level that exceeds my loss of the EFA, I have no reason to do so. I imagine there are other small business owners in my position who are disincentivized from growing their business which in turn supports many local economies.
Please support this bill.
Sincerely, Matthew Pikus Newport NH
—Matthew Pikus of Newport, NH
Dear Commitee, I am a homeschool mother of 3 children. Our family has been homeschooling since November of 2022; both my husband and I do it together. Prior to that my children were in public school (Windham Academy) our reasons for homeschooling. One of the kids was really struggling with bullying and learning challenges, (at the time it was undiagnosed dyslexia and dysgraphia) he was in 6th grade but at a 3-4th grade level. With my other child, the amount of screen time my younger one was getting in 2nd grade was too much (2-3 hours per day on the computer/tablet) and was affecting his behavior. We chose to homeschool at the kids request. I decided I would try to get my older son caught up with homeschooling and outside tutoring. At the time I was not aware of the EFA’s and did not know this was a resource I could have applied for. After a year of homeschooling, I decided to get him professionally tested, and we found out October of 2023 that he had sever dyslexia and dysgraphia and that he had developed really good coping skills. I was told I was doing amazing with what we were doing at home and was encouraged to hire a tutor as well. We were told to continue our homeschool education at home because the school district in our town would not be able to offer what I was currently offering him and he would probably not be as accelerated in getting caught up if we enrolled in back in public school.
On-top of homeschooling we have a small farm that we run (the kids love this), I work from home part time, my husband works full time. I also suffer from an autoimmune disease, I have chosen to treat naturally through a naturopathic doctor due to the steroids and pharmaceuticals offered have awful side effects and in themselves can be debilitating. Unfortunately, my treatments are not covered by insurance and are all out of pocket. The last few years our taxes have gone up doubling what they used to be. My kids also have severe food allergies, and I have to purchase a lot of special foods and our groceries each week are $400-$500, We have cut out all extra spending, we have not taken a vacation since 2018, or bought anything new in years. I go to goodwill and Coreys closet for their clothes, we try to live as frugally as possible. All this to say with 2 incomes, we are barely making ends meat, we have racked up 48k in credit card debt the last two years and financially struggling. We applied for the EFA’s this year and were denied because we made too much. We are about 10k over the allowed income amount. These monies would be so helpful for the tutoring expenses and would offer more education opportunities for my children that we otherwise will have to forgo so we can afford to live. Regardless of whether we are struggling financially though I think people in NH should be able to have access to these funds and use it as they see fit to help cultivate, and encourage their children’s learning interests, and support their needs. So, I urge you, please support this Bill. Thank you, Christina Emery
—Christina Emery of HOOKSETT, NH
I completely support the idea of universal school choice and have never supported the current system of income based school choice. Treat all citizens of NH equally.
Thank you!
—Susan LaPointe of Epping, NH
I think school choice is the best option for New Hampshire. Property taxes are getting unbearable and many private and charter schools educate our children at a fraction of the cost of public schools. Why shouldn’t we get back some of the property tax that goes toward public education if we don’t use it? No one gets it all back so some of our funds will still go to support the “common good.”
—Dominic Lucente of Bow, NH
Dear Members of the Education Funding Committee,
I am writing to express my strong support for New Hampshire House Bill 115, which seeks to expand educational opportunities through school choice by providing funding mechanisms such as vouchers or tax rebates to offset the costs of private schooling or homeschooling.
As a parent and community member deeply invested in the success of our children, I believe that empowering families with more options in education is critical. Every child is unique, with distinct learning styles, strengths, and needs. A one-size-fits-all approach to education does not serve all students equitably. House Bill 115 would provide families the flexibility to choose the educational environment that best aligns with their child’s individual needs and aspirations.
School choice through initiatives like vouchers or tax rebates fosters healthy competition and innovation within our educational system. Public, private, and homeschool environments all have unique strengths, and empowering families to make these decisions encourages all educational providers to improve their offerings and better serve students. When families have the financial means to access these choices, it levels the playing field for those who might otherwise be limited by economic circumstances.
Moreover, providing options like tax rebates or vouchers is not an abandonment of public education but rather an acknowledgment of the diverse needs of today’s learners. Families who choose private schooling or homeschooling often take on significant financial burdens in addition to paying taxes that fund public schools. House Bill 115 provides a fair and just means of alleviating that burden, ensuring that all families have the opportunity to invest in the best educational outcomes for their children without being penalized for their choice.
The ultimate goal of education policy should be to support students in achieving their full potential. House Bill 115 recognizes that parents and guardians are best positioned to determine what their children need to succeed. By passing this bill, you will empower families, promote educational equity, and foster a culture of excellence and innovation in our state’s education system.
Thank you for considering this important legislation. I urge you to support HB 115 and help create a future where every child in New Hampshire has access to the educational opportunities that will allow them to thrive.
Sincerely, Anthony Nazzise 117 Wallace Road Goffstown, NH 03045
—Anthony Nazzise of Goffstown, Nh, NH
Dear Members of the Education Funding Committee,
I am writing to express my strong support for House Bill 115, which expands school choice by providing funding mechanisms such as vouchers or tax rebates to offset the costs of private schooling or homeschooling.
Every child has unique learning needs, and a one-size-fits-all approach does not serve all students equitably. HB 115 empowers families to choose the educational environment that best suits their children, fostering better outcomes and promoting innovation across educational systems. By providing financial support, this bill ensures families have access to these choices regardless of economic circumstances.
Supporting school choice does not diminish public education; instead, it encourages all educational providers to improve and adapt. Families who choose private or homeschooling often bear significant financial burdens while still contributing to public school funding through taxes. HB 115 addresses this inequity by offering relief and leveling the playing field.
Education policy should prioritize students’ success. HB 115 allows parents to determine what works best for their children, promoting equity, excellence, and opportunity in our state’s education system.
Thank you for considering this important legislation. I urge you to support HB 115 and help ensure every child in New Hampshire has access to the education they need to thrive.
Sincerely, Hua Xu 117 Wallace Road Goffstown, NH 03045
—Hua Xu of Goffstown, Nh, NH
Our family has benefited from this for the last few years but each year I’m concerned that we will make too much to be considered when it shouldn’t matter how much a family makes. This is their money that should be able to be sent to where they want their children to go to school having options is important For all learning styles and abilities.
—Vanessa Remillard of Concord, NH
This is NH and we live free or die. The spirit of the state is the TRUE “freedom” to choose and live. As the name of “Freedome account program” indicate that this program is meant for the universal public who resides in this state as the perpament residents. By limiting this program is opposite to the nature what NH as a STATE and RESIDENTS in this state believe and adopt.
—craig SOUKUP of NEW CASTLE, NH
Good afternoon and thank you for listening to my testimony. My son, who has High Functioning Asperger’s Syndrome, did not thrive is public school. Because not all teachers understood him or picked up on the signs, he was either a candidate for a “behavior specialist” or special education. Neither was a fit for him and I honestly was concerned they may recommend some kind of medication, which was not going to solve anything. He needed a different environment, so we signed up at a small private academy, and that worked well for him for 6 years. They also discovered that he was gifted. He is now a senior in high school and an “A” student with an online program and a part time job. I am grateful we had the opportunity for funding when we needed it for tuition. Surely my family is not the only one with a similar story, needing to advocate for a child and wishing for a different avenue. This kind of program helps the system to accommodate the needs of hopeful families, because one size does not fit all. Please let this program continue so that our kids, who are the faces of the future, can have the chance to thrive and get the best start they can. Thank you.
—JACINTHE LAMOS of ASHLAND, NH
We are a family of 6, four kids, on a single income. Despite living in a community with an excellent school district, we have chosen to remain a one-income family so that I may stay home and home school our children for religious beliefs. The Education Fund has been a tremendous blessing as we seek to help our children flourish. The biggest help it has been is this current school year we decided, because of the help of the EFA, to enroll our oldest child in private education as he entered high school and needed a more robust learning environment. This would NOT have been possibly without the EFA and, even with it, we are still only able to afford one child as tuition is high.
Inflation has caused our dollar to be stretched even more these past two years. My husband is hopeful to have a salary increase through the small business he is employed with, but it would barely touch the cost of inflation AND it would put us at risk of losing the EFA funding. Raising or removing the limit would enable us to choose the location and quality of our child’s education in a way that we didn’t think we would be able to afford until we learned about the EFA accounts.
Thank you.
—Renee Sifferman of Bedford, NH
I support this bill very strongly. As a single income family that is eligible for EFA, without it we wouldn’t be able to send our kids to a school that is really perfect for our family values and educational goals. We were not getting support or the environment that was best for our kids at public schools. Our son was in Merrimack public school as a fifth grader, exposed to graphic sexual assault, drug use, attempted suicide im one book! We were not notified nor were we asked permission for our son to be exposed to this type of material. The entire fifth grade class was strongly pushed to read the book with zero parent involvement. We pushed for parents to be made aware of what the kids were reading and were rejected our parental rights to decide what our kids see. The point is, every parent in New Hampshire should have the right to choose the education they want for their kids. Not be subject to whatever idealogy their town is pushing. We send our kids to Trinity Christian School in Concord and could not be any more overjoyed at the education and sound example our kids receive there. I hope every single parent is allowed to do what’s best for their kids. Thank you.
—Mark Giorgini of Merrimack, NH
I support the education freedom account for families. Parents should be allowed to have their tax dollars follow their children. Please vote for HB115.
—Rita Blanchard of Hopkinton, NH
I believe that any benefit for citizens should apply to all citizens regardless of income, so I am in favor of removing the income limit to state education funding.
—Kristen LeGeyt of Concord, NH
Since Tax dollars support education funding, all taxpayers regardless of income should have the same option as other citizens with lower income and I am in favor of expanding education funding to support all citizens unable to or not using the public education system for their learners education.
—Craig LeGeyt of Concord, NH
Our children need this option.
—Tricia Lambert of HOPKINTON, NH
Last year my family just missed the cut off, we were not able to get financial help and it made it very difficult to be able to buy books for her lessons. I feel the limit should be increased to help more homeschooling family be able to afford good quality books and supplies.
—katherine Bennette of STRAFFORD, NH
This bill has helped my son get into Trinity Highschool!! He is thriving at this school and I’m so grateful for this help!!
—Krystal Pinard of Manchester, NH
My children have benefitted from this for.3 years. 2 years of homeschool and one year of private school. Neither of which we could do without this. We just got out of a DV marriage as well, so this coming year will be the most important
—Alyssa Haught of Hillsboro, NH
Over the course of our son’s education, he has displayed a high aptitude for math and science. While we appreciated the education that he was receiving in Concord public schools, we found that large class sizes, teacher burnout and classroom disruption were causing him to feel overlooked and lost in the system. He has always had a natural love for learning, and we wanted to continue to foster this as long as possible. We found success and community in the charter school, but there was still a lack of resources and extracurricular activities. Last summer, we decided to transition him to a private school as this would give him the best opportunity to grow in his academic learning as well as participate in a variety of extracurricular activities. This was a sacrifice for our family as we do not earn a large income. We fell just outside of the qualifications to receive an EFA grant, but we still felt like this was the best and right decision for our son. This school has most definitely been the best decision that we have made. Our son has received a high caliber of teaching, and we are seeing him thrive academically, athletically and socially. He has the opportunity to take honors classes and pursue a dual credit program which will help him to come closer to achieving his future dreams. However, it has put financial strain on us, and we have had to be very careful with our budget and financial planning for the future. We also are aware that we may not be able to afford the cost of private school beyond this school year. If the EFA became available to all NH families, it would provide so much support and peace of mind to my family. We would be able to have the reassurance that our son could continue to thrive at his school and complete his middle school and high school education. We would also be able to plan for our second child’s future education without the constant concern of affording the cost over the years. Thank you for your time and consideration.
—Jessica Penn of Concord, NH
The Education Freedom Accounts are a fantastic benefit for families choosing not to utilize the public school system. I have homeschooled all five of my children, my oldest is about to graduate from NHTI this May and my second is able to to dual enrollment to get college credits during high school. Having access to the EFA regardless of income is a wonderful thing and I support it wholeheartedly. We have been able to school our 5 children in a manner that is best for them and their futures. They are well on their way to becoming well adapted adults ready to enter the public workforce and contribute to the community at large.
—Rachel Wing of Nottingham, NH
It would benefit me and my community to have the choice on how my child is educated.
—eric brothers of manchester, NH
I wholeheartedly support HB115. This bill will support so many in the pursuit of finding an education that works for their child to make them successful. The impact of passing this bill and its impact are immeasurable as there is so much to be gained for families and children by passing this bill. Thank you.
—Maryann Rice of Dover, NH
I am writing to express my strong support for NH Bill HB115 and the continued funding of the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program. This program has profoundly impacted my family, providing opportunities for my children that we would never have been able to afford otherwise.
For my daughter, EFA funding has been life-saving. After enduring the trauma of sexual assault, her mental and emotional health needs could not be met in the public school system. She needed the secure, supportive environment of a smaller school, and Hawthorne Academy in Antrim has provided just that. I truly believe that without access to this private school, my daughter would not be alive today.
My eldest son, who is autistic, has also flourished because of EFA funding. The public school environment was overwhelming for him, both academically and socially, due to the large class sizes and lack of specialized support. Through the EFA program, he has been able to attend PHAZE Welding School in Peterborough, where he is gaining valuable skills and confidence. This program has given him a path to a brighter future, something that simply wasn’t possible in the public school setting.
Another son, who has ADHD, is thriving at Hawthorne Academy. The smaller class sizes and tailored strategies have allowed him to succeed academically and behaviorally in ways he never could in a public school environment. In the past, he faced deep depression and even suicidal ideation due to his struggles in a traditional classroom. Since moving to a smaller, supportive environment, his depression has eased, and he now enjoys school.
Lastly, EFA funding has opened unique opportunities for my youngest son, allowing him to take horseback riding and horsemanship classes. These experiences have been transformative, boosting his confidence and teaching him life skills that will benefit him for years to come.
The Education Freedom Account program has given my children the chance to thrive in ways that the public school system could not provide. It has had a profound impact on their mental health, education, and future prospects. I urge you to support HB115 to ensure that families like mine continue to have access to these life-changing opportunities.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, Hannah Matteson
—Hannah Matteson of Antrim, NH
Our family has greatly benefited from EFA program. I believe it should be an option for all who desire and need educational freedom and it should not be based on income. Those who are very close but just over the cap especially shouldn’t be excluded just because they make a little more. The funds have opened up many opportunities like music lessons and online classes that would not have been affordable otherwise. I want those options to be available to all. Thank you to those who work so hard to make this program a reality for our family.
—Sonya Colby of Hudson, NH
I moved to NH in 2017 and the first thing I made sure is to have a reputable school that is close to where my child and I live for safety and good educational platform. I found Concord Christian Academy. Sending my son to a private school is financially challenging being a single parent. But EFA is God’s blessing of provision, an instrument for every child to be able to get thru private education. My son is now in 8th grade and EFA Scholarship is a great help to make it possible for him to stay at CCA. I am forever grateful for this at the same time blessed to be part of the Concord Christian Academy family. I am sharing this personal story to be heard as a good cause for the children and parents who can benefit of this scholarship. I support this bill to continue its purpose. Thank you and God bless!
—Cloderlyn Sipaco of Concord, NH
I am currently a parent that receives EFA funding for my son to attend private school. Without this funding he would not be reaching the accomplishments and acceptance he had been searching for in public school. Malcolm needed small group learning and an education that had the flexibility to shift to meet his needs. At Hawthorne Academy he has brought is grades from a C/D average to a 3.8 GPA within a year and half of course correction. The school was able to get to know Malcolm and his learning needs and adjust to bring him up to grade level and increase his self confidence as a learner. Malcolm was also socially awkward and every day in public school was a new day of peers calling him names, treating him poorly, and ostracizing him from the group. He became quiet and sullen and required counseling to manage his anger and frustration. Upon attending Hawthorne where that behavior is not tolerated on any level Malcolm has opened up, found accepting peers, and his self worth has improved leaps and bounds. Every child should have this ability to choose. With choice kids can finally reach their potential and become who they are meant to be. I ask that you give every child the gift my son has received through the EFA. He is getting a quality education created around his needs and creating friendship bonds he wasn’t able to have before.
—Traci Blain of Deering, NH
I write in support of HB115. This is certainly one House Bill that improves academic achievement, invites innovation, rejects any notion that all children cannot learn, and is in high demand by your New Hampshire families. It is an expansion of the financial aspects of educational choice. It’s this innovation that has afforded your New Hampshire residents the ability to place their children on an entirely different educational trajectory and with your support & vote for HB115, I am one of those families.
Even though I hold a bachelor’s in accounting achieved through night school after the birth of my daughter, and work fulltime as an accountant, I fall into the category so many NH families find themselves in, whether they are single parents, divorced, grandparents or guardians, they are just above what is considered poverty, like myself, so many are in essence, the working poor. My income for my family of two is less than 70,000 per year, with my cost of housing, utilities, transportation, and food … my budget is razor thin, paycheck to paycheck is the norm.
Until the pandemic I always worked two jobs to narrowly afford to send my daughter to private school, when I lost my second job due to the mandate, I made every cut possible to keep her in her school … as I did not qualify for Education Freedom Accounts. This meant eliminating every possible expense that could be considered an “extra” and some not so “extra” to ensure my daughter could stay in the school that was her best educational fit & would provide her with the educational success for her future. Because as parents, as a mother, that’s what we do, that’s what I do … we unconsciously and selflessly operate in a way that almost anything and everything comes second to our children & their needs regardless of our financial straits, social inequities, or economic deficiencies.
HB115 increases the income limit for families like mine, myself & my daughter. This breaks the arbitrary link for so many families, just like mine, between a child’s housing and the school they are able to attend, this bill and Education Freedom Accounts mean the cost of living in NH doesn’t have to determine our children’s access to quality education.
In closing … Ted Fortsmann said it best “Does the child exist to serve the system, or does the system exist to serve the child? Systems are not sacred, children are.”
Thank you for your time.
—Allison Dyer of Nashua, NH
I support this bill because it will allow me to send my child to the school of our choice and that is very important to us as a family.
—Kaitlyn Page of Belmont, NH
I am a mom of 4 kids and we are a homeschool family. We have been blessed with eligibility for the EFA for the past year and a half and it has been so helpful. I think it would be hugely beneficial for any family to be able to benefit from this grant. I am in favor of this bill.
—Brittany Teune of Enfield, NH
My students have had the privilege of attending private school the last few years, an experience we would not have been able to afford without the support of the Education Freedom Act program. Everyone should have a choice in the quality, format and values of the education program that best meets the needs of their children and learning styles. I fully support this bill to continue to provide funding for my children and other families to choose private or alternative education, it will make a big difference for a lot of families in our state!
—Stacey Lillios of Loudon, NH, representing Myself and my children
As a proud grandparent of a New Hampshire home school family which has greatly benefited from the vital Education Freedom Account, I want to express my support for this very important HB115-FN bill which will provide funds to all NH school-age children regardless of family income status. Through this excellent support my own grandchildren have been able to access many quality and enriching educational curricula, equipment and experiences which would have been otherwise unaffordable.
—Thomas Cunningham of Hudson, NH
I support the bill. Thank you so much.
—Peggy LaBrosse of Antrim, NH
I am a private school educator and currently have a child enrolled in private school. I make great sacrifices to afford my child’s education while my taxes continue to go up to fund the local public school system that provided my oldest child with a disappointing middle and high school experience. I have never taken my family to Disney. I drive a 14 year old car. My salary and those of my colleagues at a private institution is considerably lower than the salaries of similar positions in public schools, because all too often the school board’s solution to problems is to throw more money at them instead of real, inventive solutions. It is time for public schools to be held accountable for their shortcomings and allow parents the opportunity to take THEIR money and spend it on the education they want for their children. Thank You!
—Sharyn Tighe of Litchfield, NH
The NH EFA program has opened up educational opportunities for my children that they otherwise would not have. I believe all children (regardless of family income level) should have access to this program. I urge you to please pass HB 115. Thank you for your consideration.
Jill Hampton-McCarthy
—Jill Hampton-McCarthy of Milton, NH
I am very delighted that my grandchildren are able to access the funds from the Educational Freedom Account. This support has most definitely enabled them to thrive in their homeschool education. I certainly am in favor of this support being available to all New Hampshire children. I sincerely appreciate all the state legislators who have worked so hard to make educational school choice and access to funding possible.
—Carolyn Cunningham of Hudson, NH
As a NH taxpayer and grandmother, I support educational freedom for all students in NH—no income limit. All parents should be able to choose the appropriate education for their children.
—Joan Herrington of Bow, NH
All NH children deserve the education and learning environment that best fits their needs. The EFA program has opened educational doors for my children, and, as a result they are much happier, healthier, and performing better academically. Expand the EFA program to allow more NH families the freedom to choose the best education for their children. Thank you.
—Margrethe Fjeldsted of Concord, NH
I fully support this Bill to grant school choice funds to all NH families, regardless of income. This will help support my personal choice to have my children attend a Private Christian school, which is the very best fit for my children.
—Lori Robertson of Bow, NH
I fully support this Bill to grant school choice funds to all NH families, regardless of income.
—Randall Robertson of Bow, NH
Having school choice is good for everybody. Having strong private schools not only gives citizens options for educating their children, but it also forces public schools to be the best they can be if they are competing with private schools. Public schools having a monopoly on education hurts citizens and students alike.
—William Palizzolo of Hopkinton, NH
I fully support as it helps many families it the education they deserve.
—Nathan Stone of HUDSON, NH
I fully support this bill as it helps many families in need for their child’s education that they deserve.
—Sheena Stone of Hudson, NH
I support this bill
—Anna Furman of Pittsfield, NH
I have two children who are currently in private school. It is important to my family that our children continue their education with a Catholic background. We feel strongly that it is important that all families have access to this education and that the state supports access regardless of income. Currently only the few who fall into the current category of poverty level and those who have a high income are granted access. By allowing the freedom accounts regardless of income no one is excluded, just because a family has an income that falls outside the poverty level it does not mean that makes it any easier for that family to send their child to private school. Funding for schools should not be limited to just a few especially when there is funding available.
—Heather Schimp of Manchester, NH
Our family of 5 has been grateful for the freedom and financial support to choose how we educate our children. We choose to homeschool because of the values we have and the sacrifices we are willing to support the unique needs of our family. We want to see this bill get passed to bring financial support to all families regardless of income as we invest in the next generation. Thank you
—Greta Rondeau of Amherst, NH
Education for our children is becoming an increasingly difficult but ever-more important decision to navigate..with many factors to consider, including school resources, offerings, etc - made all the more difficult with the current mental health crisis and bullying that can take place in different environments. Due to bullying, we were forced to pull our son out of our local public school and consider alternatives. Ultimately, we chose a private school. Though we do not currently meet financial criteria for a grant, it is a significant financial strain. The passage of this bill would allow for families to make the best decision for each of our unique students. Supporting the next generation in every possible way is an excellent investment in our State’s future.
—Laura Carpenter of Nashua, NH
Good day, The NH Children’s Scholarship Fund has made it possible for my children to have a safe education that they did not receive with the public school system. With the rising costs plaguing our economy, financial limits almost made us ineligible for this valuable resource that was vital to our childrens’ safe education. The public school in Claremont has failed us and fails the rest of the community. Why should I pay more and more each year for a system that I don’t use? These funds should go towards the educational system that benefits our children the best. Removing the income limits for access to financial help for education makes our childrens’ futures the most important thing for the future of our communities, state, and country. Thank you.
—Cassie Audette of Claremont, NH, representing Myself and my children
I am a homeschooling mom to three children. 70% of my property tax funds public education. It would be extremely helpful if my family were eligible to use EFAs. School choice should be universal in the state of NH and not linked to income.
—Hillary Raimondi of Hollis, NH
My granddaughter has thrived since she has been in a homeschooling program. I am so glad New Hampshire has this program with the hopes it continues to offer this in the future! Thank you!
—Dory Warn of Center Barnstead, NH
My granddaughter which is 11 years old started public school when she was small and her parents felt as though she wasn’t doing well. In the school system. So her mom decided to homeschool her and she is thriving.. Thanks to New Hampshire for making this possible!
—Bob Warn of Center Barnstead, NH
It’s simply unfair for some people to receive help on this issue and others not. Nobody should be penalized for working hard. A public good is something everyone has access to. If only some have access to a public good it is then an individual benefit. I believe the current state of things this becomes taxation without representation. I hope the bill passes.
—Todd Schimp of Manchester, NH
I am for this bill being made available to every NH family so they can choose to have their children attend the school environment that reflects their moral and ethical values- the money they pay in taxes should support where their children attend, if that be private.
—Kristie LeBlanc of Newport, NH
Dear NH House Education Funding Committee;
Please support HB115.
Thank You Bryan L Richardson Sr. Alexandria
—Bryan Richardson of Alexandria, NH
EFA has allowed my family to expand our children’s learning resources. We are discovering their learning styles and tailoring lessons for each child that foster growth and learning. Without EFA our resources would be extremely limited.
—William Santiago of Pelham, NH
All families, regardless of income, deserve the freedom to choose how to educate their children. Passing this bill would be a sign of how NH values freedom and family.
—Elizabeth Regan of Claremont, NH
I support this bill especially for home schooled students.
—Stacey Murphy of Brookline, NH
I believe passing this bill is important for all families in NH. I am a home educator, but my sister uses public education. She has a great job, but finding the extra income for tutoring and lessons outside of school are an expense that are hard to fund. This bill being passed could allow public school families to access additional needs. Please pass this bill all children need access to additional support.
Thank you, Megan
—MEGAN FANSLAU of STRAFFORD, NH
We are homeschoolers, my husband has a good job as a lineman at Eversource but unfortunately our family does not qualify for the scholarship fund. We are not rich by any means, we have enough to pay all our bills and save a little. We drive 10+ year old cars and we are able to pay for one after school activity for our kids. Sometimes they do dance and sometimes they do swimming, we cannot afford to give them everything we would like to. However, if this bill passes, it would be a huge blessing for our family, we would be able to give our kids many more educational opportunities. Our family would greatly benefit from the funds that we would receive. I would love for them take art classes and music lessons and enroll in a team sport. This bill would help us accomplish these things and would certainly contribute to giving our kids a more well rounded education. Thank you so much for your time. -Roberta Barcelos
—Roberta Barcelos of Hudson, NH
I support this bill as it would be an excellent benefit for many NH families.
—David Duda of Deerfield, NH
This has greatly helped my family. I am in favor of helping more families have the freedom to pursue educational freedom for their students.
—Matthew Ellis of Manchester, NH
I support HB 115 and feel that it is wrong to withhold these funds from families. My wife and I both work (2) jobs in order to afford to send our three children to a school where we feel they can be successful. If we did not work second jobs, we could not afford to do this for our children. However, our dedication and commitment to our children simultaneously excludes our family from this support because we are “Earning” over the minimum income.
When families who work harder, do more, and work more are penalized for their efforts it becomes clear to anyone who cares to look at that there is a failure in the system. I stress you to support and pass HB 115.
—James Brough of Derry, NH
I support this bill. Families in our state need more options when it comes to education. Passing this bill will open up many more options for New Hampshire parents and children.
—Kayla Chick of Gilford, NH
When my daughter came home from public school in 3rd grade do to the covid-19 shutdown we started homeschooling with the intention of sending her back once the pandemic was over. But as we started to look for material and begin the process, we quickly found that she was nowhere near grade level and had to start over all the way back with 1st grade material. She is thriving in the home school atmosphere and has caught up and went past grade level. This has put a tremendous strain on the household since my wife has had to quit her job and I have had to pick up a second to support this, but we cannot risk putting her back into public school and having all the hard work be undone because the school system is not able to teach her appropriately.
—Jonathan Woodward of Franklin, NH
Every family regardless of income should have the right to obtain assistance for their child’s education. Expanding the HB 115 Education Freedom Accounts to all families in the state is needed.
—Karen Moran of Penacook, NH, representing Myself and Concord Christian Academy
Having a choice of where to send your children for their education should be provided to all residents of NH, and heavily supported by our local government. Private schools set high educational standards, which also positively impacts our public education system through competitive association. Private education enriches our younger generations and thus our future. Please help residents in NH send their children to private schools regardless of household income. HB-115 bolsters NH prosperity for all residents.
—Ryan DiStefano of Andover, NH
The EFA’s have allowed my family CHOICE! Which is what our country is founded on. The public school system is corrupt and not working anymore.
—Amanda Bemis of Litchfield, NH
I have worked in small private schools for over 26 years and I have seen the benefits first hand of what smaller schools can provide for children. For my own children and now for my grandchildren. Our public school system has changed vastly and parents should be able to chose where their child will attend school; with financial help since we are all taxpayers and our monies go to public schools where some parents do not even have their children attend. This bill just seems fair.
—Karen Wright of Concord, NH
While I feel that each town needs its tax payer dollars to fund education, I also feel that every tax payer should be entitled to an amount of those funds if we do not use the public school system. Some schools receive ample funding but are poorly managed and that alone caused my family to seek alternatives. Lousy school bard decisions and lousy principles leaves a school broken and teachers who are not invested in our children. for that reason alone, I feel that I should be entitled to some of those poorly managed funds.
—Ashli Snow of Alton, NH
I have 5 children, several of which have not been successful in public school. Consequenlty, I am paying for them to attend private schools where they are achieving both social and academic success. I pay very high property taxes, most of which goes to educational funding. While I am not opposed to some of this going to funding public schools I should recieve some of this support for the schools my children are actually attending. I work in higher education, where support is available regardless of public or private inistitution status. I would hope that the secondary school system would catch up supporting parental and student choice.
—Jeremy Owens of Chester, NH
We struggled, financially, as parents to put our children in a private school, which best fit their learning needs. Our children are now grown up, married, and have children of their own. They are also struggling, financially, to keep their children in private schools for their children. This bill would help our family tremendously. And, as a grandmother, I want the best for my grandchildren. We are all home owners who pay school tax even though we have not used the public school system. The passing of this bill would be of a huge help. Thank you, Leslie Lampman
—Leslie Lampman of Newbury, NH
This is a wonderful bill. The passing of this bill would help my family tremendously. Thank you for bringing this need to light, and I am hoping this bill passes.
—Dennis Lampman of Newbury, NH, representing My grandchildren
I do not have any children of my own, but I have been paying taxes which contribute to the public school education system. I would love to see the money that I’ve been paying through taxes become available to families who would otherwise not be able to choose a private school for their children. If I am not able to benefit from those funds, I want others to be able to benefit from those funds in ways that work best for their family. Families who pay taxes but would prefer to send their child to a private school should have access to those educational funds. Each child learns differently, and no family should be forced to send their child to one particular school, but they should be able to choose what school and education system works best for their child and family. For the past 12 years, I have worked in various private schools, and throughout the years I’ve spoken to many families that have either sacrificed greatly, and gone without some things, to put their children in private school, or others I’ve spoken to are unable to place their children in a private school due to the financial burden. Also, for the past 4 years, I have worked specifically with families here in Concord that have chosen to put their child in a private school, but their child/family is impacted by Special Education needs. Private schools that are able to offer special education must charge for those “extra” services because they are not funded by the state, and this puts an extra financial strain on families. Please consider all families, all children, all learning styles, and all situations/circumstances and make the EFA funds available to all families!
—Sharon Green of Deering, NH
As a former state representative and education professional, I support this bill. My husband and I have 5 children and we have homeschooled, private school, charter, created our own school because public school does not serve our needs. The bullying, the lack of special education resources, lack of academic rigor, etc. We pay high property taxes but do not feel our education options are sufficient. We pay for private school and the money should follow the student. We should not have to be paying for both.
—Rebecca Owens of Chester, NH
I would like to give my support to this bill as I believe the tax payers should be able to choose where they want their students to attend school. I support Education Freedom for all.
Thank you, Heather Harding
—Heather Harding of Litchfield, NH
I support this bill because I support Education Freedom for all.
Thank you, Shawn Harding
—Shawn Harding of Litchfield, NH
We are so grateful to have access to EFA funds! Nobody is turned away from public school based on their income, and the same should apply to homeschoolers. We are all paying taxes, and should be supported regardless of our schooling choice. Thank you for SUPPORTING HB115!
—Jenny Lanctot of Milford, NH
Testimony on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs)
Questions of public education are deeply important and often create friction within communities because education concerns both our future and the values we hold most dear. Even when we strive for educational systems that are fact-based and objective, the idea of a perfectly “neutral” space—free from ideological and personal perspectives—is an illusion.
All real education is formative; it instills ideals and virtues that educators and institutions deem essential for shaping young minds. When we debate education funding, we are not simply discussing budgets—we are debating how the power of the state should be used to enforce particular ideologies and values. It is no surprise, then, that these conversations are often contentious.
At its core, our system of government—so boldly embodied by the people of New Hampshire (Live Free or Die)—is not about erasing ideological differences in pursuit of some imagined neutrality. Rather, it embraces the messiness of pluralism—a pluralism that allows space for competing worldviews while still preserving shared common goods. True pluralism is not about enforcing a single, state-sanctioned perspective; it is about fostering diverse educational options that reflect the values and convictions of the families they serve.
For decades, the public school system held a monopoly on state education funding. Over time, it became clear that this system was not merely teaching math and grammar—it was also advancing particular views on fundamental questions of gender, personhood, and morality. These perspectives were often presented as “neutral” or “tolerant,” yet in reality, they amounted to a state-funded ideology—one that families were compelled to support, regardless of whether it aligned with their beliefs. In essence, what was once a pluralistic public square collapsed into a form of secular parochialism—as ideologically driven as any private or religious school. The difference? Instead of crucifixes, students see pride flags and gender ideology embedded in the curriculum, with entire months devoted to celebrating a particular moral framework.
However, with the introduction of Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs), that monopoly on state education funding has begun to fray, allowing a diverse range of educational models to emerge and flourish. New Hampshire students now have an opportunity to pursue intellectual and moral formation that aligns with their needs and convictions—just as students in countries like Sweden, Israel, and other highly developed nations already do. In doing so, true pluralism and justice are reborn.
But only for some.
By limiting EFA eligibility to families below a certain income level, we fail to grasp the fundamental purpose of EFAs. These programs do not merely provide financial assistance; they restore choice to families who have a right to direct their own tax dollars toward an education that reflects their values and priorities. It is not just about financial need—it is about educational freedom for all families, regardless of income.
Some may argue that EFAs should not fund religious institutions, but the truth is that all education is ideological. The real question is whether a secular ideology should function as New Hampshire’s established religion—which is precisely what happens when only public schools receive state funding. If we truly value ideological pluralism, then a family’s income level should not determine their ability to choose an education that aligns with their beliefs.
Expanding EFAs to all families would not dismantle public education. It would simply recognize the right of every family to shape their child’s intellectual and moral formation—not just those who can afford alternatives or meet financial eligibility criteria.
If we are committed to true educational freedom, let it be for all.
—Brandon Walsh of Durham, NH
Clearly this bill supports successful and financially effective program while giving our students a choice for their education.
—Peter Hansen of Amherst, NH
We chose private school after the public school district could not meet our child’s needs. There were many factors, including poor curriculum, and overloaded teachers, who had to focus on the children struggling the most, or behavioral issues, with no bandwidth for the children who were doing ok, but not meeting their potential.
Within a year of switching our child went from approximately 50% percentile in math to high 80s and continues in the 90s for math 8 years later, and more importantly than the numbers is a confident learner instead, where she had feared to math prior. In addition, the small private school is educating children on a fraction of what the public schools have per capita.
Our children have thrived in the private school environment, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to afford it due to the rise in property taxes, and at the same time in tuition.
Many families who do not meet the current requirement are struggling to keep their kids in the school choice that is right for them. We would like school choice available for all.
—Lisa Andreasen of Amherst, NH
Every family should be able to give their own children the best education they feel fits their child, family and cultural needs. No one should be instructing families how to parent their children. Diversity should be supported as we propel into a new era.
—Angie Carter of Westmoreland, NH
Making the EFA available to every family in New Hampshire is very important because it allows New Hampshire citizens more and better opportunities for educating their children without requiring an increase on property taxes. We are behooved as citizens to create reasonable access to the best education options for each family to raise up the next generation of youth to be solid citizens educated in our history, politics, sciences, math, and reading and writing. Without such an education, our society will continue to deteriorate and ultimately and disastrously fall. Education is the foundation for a free and democratic people. We need to be free to pursue better than our mediocre, politically-motivated, one-size-fits-all public education system.
—Kathryn Carlson of Candia, NH
I support this bill as family that pays taxes to a school district that we can not use as they do not have what my children need to succeed in the classroom. We had to look for a private school where she is flourishing and without this help we would not be able to send her and that will change her whole path in life. There should be help for any and all families no matter how much a family makes. Thank you for reading.
—Brooke DePhilippo of Rochester, NH
New Hampshire’s school voucher program provides families a modicum of assistance when enrolling a child in a private school or home school. However, the current financial cutoff makes it such that most families cannot take advantage of this voucher program.
The current average home price in New Hampshire is $480,000. A family needs to make $124,000 a year to be able to afford the average home in today’s economy. With a cutoff threshold of $109,000, the average family gets nothing from this program.
School spending in New Hampshire is absurdly bloated, with an expense exceeding $21,000 per student per year. Let’s think about that for a moment - $21,000 per student. The average classroom of 19 kids costs $400,000 a year. The average teacher salary is just under $60,000 a year, and that’s the most important part! $60,000 of cost, $360,000 of overhead. Of course, that is a simplification and not all of that cost is overhead. But most of it is. It has to be.
At $5,200 per student, the voucher program is a bargain - 25% of the typical cost of public school.
Approve the bill, expand the voucher program and make education competitive and affordable.
—Dennis Bretton of East Hampstead, NH
I am for this bill. It has helped my family financial and gives me peace of mind knowing my daughter is striving and happy to be in school. We pulled by daughter out of public school for her mental state and to have her feel safe, so with this bill it has helped with the expense of having her go to a private school. I am very grateful for this. Thank you :)
—Deborah Ring of Weare, NH
I fully support this bill as I strongly believe all parents, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to choose the school that best fits their child.
As someone who does not qualify for any type of needs based financial aid, we have made sacrifices to allow our 2 boys to go to a private school. Next year our daughter will be ready to go to school and we will have to figure out how to afford her tuition.
—Colleen Vandi of Chichester, NH
I fully support this bill as I strongly believe all parents, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to choose the school that best fits their child.
—Dennis Vandi of Chichester, NH
For those choosing alternatives to public education, it only makes sense to give them a portion of the funds towards the education of the parents’ choice. It is a fraction of the cost of them being in public school. Every student is different and has different needs. There is no way for public schools to meet all of these needs. Please support this bill to support and encourage families in choosing the best option for their children for education in New Hampshire.
—Sarah Strycharz of Concord, NH
I support this bill fully as my children have been able to go to a school they would otherwise not have had access too. Choice for children’s education is critical, especially in the younger years. Parents and children need to have the freedom to choose what school fits them and their families best. Shoehorning each child into the public school system has proven to be a system that only results in dismal results, and many parents attempt to avoid this by relocating to different towns just to try to get into a “better public school system” . Until the public system program is corrected and rebuilt to a higher standard, families absolutely need bills such as HB115 and the Educational Freedom program to raise the next generation fully prepared.
—Matt Bonaccorsi of Lebanon, NH
If I elect to send my children to private schools, for any reason, I should be able to take advantage of the Education Freedom Account no matter income. I pay my taxes and should have choices that meet my family’s needs
—Matthew Conserva of Concord, NH
As a parent, I believe this bill could offer options to families who otherwise feel locked into either bad school situations or inconvenient commutes, etc. This bill helps families from all backgrounds create a safer and a better environment for their children to flourish. My personal background is religious and I am glad to be able to afford a Christian school for my daughter. However, I know coworkers who are not religious but still wanted to choose private education to get their kid away from negative peer pressure. I also know a family who chose private school for their child because of persistent bullying that was happening in public school they had come from. The establishment of a public education was never meant to be like a prison that a child has to face every day without any hope of change. Especially with today’s housing market, the ability to switch school districts is very difficult. I am grateful to those who wrote this bill for considering a way to allow families, who normally would not be able to afford any other option, to now be able to choose what’s best for their child.
—Jacklyn Morris of Barrington, NH
As a child, I was bullied relentlessly in public school and very nearly dropped out. This was back in the 80s - it would have been nice to have another option. My husband had a poor public school experience (we are from different states), and we determined that our children wouldn’t step foot in a public school environment. We paid for our kid’s schooling out of pocket. Their adequacy aid stayed with the state as did our local tax monies. Working at a private school, I have personally seen how the EFA affects families who are not a fit for public school. Public school isn’t a one size fits all and parents should not be forced to send their kids there because of finances. The adequacy aid belongs to the child, they should have the choice of where to spend it.
—Stace Dicker-Hendricks of Laconia, NH
The EFA has been so helpful for my family. I would love there to be this same opportunity for all families to have flexibility to educate their children as they see fit. The Funds from the EFA cover all the educational materials my family needs, and they can get higher quality items too, EFA also offers my family other learning classes and programs too. My daughter is in ballet class right now, a dream she has wanted her whole life, all thanks to the EFA! All families should have the chance to add more to their childs education.
—alicia Grant of Epsom, NH
I have personally seen the value of the EFA to families. I am an administrator, and the families that have received the EFA have been blessed to afford a private school education more easily. If the EFA goes to a universal platform, more families will be able to afford school choice.
—Alice Pinard of Concord, NH
I am in favor of this bill to allow more families to have access to the education they desire.
—Jeffrey Michaud of Dunbarton, NH
This is a great help to families who deserve to choose the education for their children. Many in our state have supported public education through taxation and never used the public schools system. This seems like a more equitable way to use funds and allow the right to choose. I personally have two grown children who never attended public school and now three grandchildren also not attending. We have contributed large amounts of money through taxation and it is helpful to have funds to help support our choice for education. Thank you,
Heidi Aucoin
—Heidi Aucoin of Henniker, NH
Please support this bill, it would really help a lot of NH families.
—Timothy Mahoney of Concord, NH
We chose private Catholic education following the COVID pandemic, and have been thrilled with the structure and academic rigor provided. Given the choice, all 3 of our children decided to stay at this school the following years, rather than return to public school. While placing a high value on the curriculum and morals taught at our wonderful school, it is still not easy to afford the catholic school tuition year after year for multiple children.
I have applied for the Education Freedom Accounts every year, but our family does not qualify based on the percentage of poverty level allowed. Opening the access to middle-income families would be a much-needed benefit for those of us that are making very difficult and emotional educational choices for our families, and prioritizing academics and school culture over the expense!
—C Sweeney of Keene, NH
I believe the availability of education freedom should be available to everyone. My so. has been in private school his whole student career. He has attended Shaker Road School from preschool through 8th grade and is now a freshman at Bishop Brady High School. We are not eligible for the education freedom benefit and have funded his education. Yes, I know that was our choosing, however, it would be great to get some kind of break financially with the school choice option. With much of our property taxes going to public school funding and with hopefully the continuation of education freedom, shouldn’t everyone have the ability to pursue private schooling with some financial backing? Our son has thrived academically and socially in his school environments. I do not regret the money invested into his education but am soured a bit knowing we are exempt from any funding resources based on income. We are middle class prioritizing life to make this happen for our son. The education act should continue and people like us should get some help or be able to get a tax deduction for not choosing to use public schools. Also, private school should also be an option for anyone- regardless of income. This is an investment in our child’s future and our country’s future. Thanks.
—Michele Moreau of Concord, NH
I am in full support of house bill 115. As a parent of children who are school age I believe school choice is a major issue of our day and furthermore, I and my children have experienced the benefits of education freedom accounts and school choice here in NH. As an Administrator at a private school I have seen the benefits school choice has had for many of our families and have watched students thrive in private school where they were floundering elsewhere. School choice and the EFA program is what allows many families to have choices where to send their children. I would urge you to support this bill.
—Stephen Gaylord of Hillsboro, NH
We are looking to move as the cost of private education is not affordable and yet the public school environment leaves much to be desired. It is truly sad that moving would be an option to allow for our kids to attend a school we are confident would be beneficial as the private education continues to be $$$$ and each year is on the rise. By passing this bill into law we would be able to keep our two pre school aged children in the current private school they are enrolled next year and not force us to find another town/city to live in. We also pay taxes for a school system we don’t use and feel this levels the playing field a bit for us who prefer private education for our children.
—Delia Canfield of Laconia, NH
I fully support this bill because I believe as a parent, that I should be able to decide what kind of education my children should have. I have been paying taxes in the state of New Hampshire for many years and have raised several children who have not used the public school system.
—Lisa McLaughlin of Manchester, NH
This bill would be so helpful for our family of 6. Our school of choice that our kids are flourishing in is a private one and we are just outside the income limitations for the current freedom education act program. Our small school allows our son who has a below the knee amputation and wears a prosthetic, get around the whole school campus with ease. The small school environment has allowed our children to thrive academically and socially. This bill would reduce financial stressors on our family as medical expenses and other expenses are now always looked at when determining eligibility for funding and take home income is often the only criteria looked at. Thank you.
—Jennifer DeAngelo of Derry, NH
I believe it is the right of the parents to use the tax money collected from NH tax payers for education. It should be their right to choose where that education is provided, and what is best for their own children. Thank you for reviewing my testimony!
—Karen Meserve of Gilford, NH
School vouchers provide valuable options for the lowest income earning parents in school districts where they may wish to provide their students an education above and beyond that of low-performing schools with significant behavioral issues or lack of opportunities. They also support parents who wish to educate their children in the core strengths of math/science/history/literature/arts as those of us were taught in younger generations before the increasing slant of politically driven unions and lobbying groups started to dilute the concept of public education increasingly into the sphere of politically sensitive topics that would be left to parents to teach at whatever age they deem appropriate vs the seeming indoctrination documented in thousands of examples nation-wide at this point. The 2024 election was a referendum on the fact that parents want control restored as to what their children are taught and when - and for too long public schools and administrations have been unaccountable in that regard with some policies even being made that flagrantly disregard a parents’ right to know what their minor children are being taught or choosing to do while at school. This bill provides a powerful tool for parents to take that control back and to send their children wherever they feel is best for education political or otherwise.
—Kate Worden Buckner of Amherst, NH
I am a resident paying high property taxes from which a high percentage is for schools. My child has been at a private school from kindergarten until now 8th grade. Parents that choose to send their children to private school instead of public school should have that money available to be used to pay tuition for private school that their child attends, or receive a SIGNIFICANT discount on their property taxes for not using the public school. The amount of money spent per student in public school is ridiculous! Private school is much cheaper and provides way better education for my child. EFAs should be available to ALL families regardless of income
—Svetlana Skachko of HOOKSETT, NH
To further fund public schools is a demonstrated waste.
—Tyler Ramrath of Nashua, NH
EFAs should be available for all families choosing private schools regardless of income. Kids get way better education for fraction of the cost of public school
—Pavel Skachko of HOOKSETT, NH
EFAs should be available for all families choosing private schools regardless of income. Kids get way better education for fraction of the cost of public school
—Vera Morozova of HOOKSETT, NH
My son was starting Kindergarten when the Covid shutdown occurred. As an educational consultant working for an international, K-12 publisher, I knew the importance of a strong foundation in literacy skills. I felt in my heart that my son would not receive the support he needed through a screen or a mask. I elected to take a year off work to homeschool because there were no in-person options in Concord. This resulted in a tremendous financial sacrifice for my family, but was well worth it considering the current state of literacy proficiency in K-12 throughout the state and Northeast. At the start of my son’s first grade year, Trinity Christian School contacted me to let me know they had a space available. I was excited, because this meant my son could return to in-person education and I could begin working again. My husband and I never anticipated how much our son would grow to love the school and cannot imagine having to enroll him in the Concord School District. We are very much in favor of school choice and feel like having another option outside of the district we live in has led to a strong educational foundation and socialization for our son. We would love for EFAs to be available to all parents.
—Ashley Stohrer of Concord, NH
My son goes to Concord Christian Academy. We placed him there in second grade during covid when Concord decided to go remote again that fall. It was the best decision my husband and I made for him. He didn’t miss one day of school and has been thriving ever since. It’s a big expense that we struggle to pay each month. If this bill passes, it would greatly help us afford his education.
—Stacey Mahoney of Concord, NH
I think that all Parents should be able to send their children to any school they want, since our school system has gotten very bad and teaching stuff that a lot of Parents and Taxpayers not agreeing with. Our property taxes have gotten so high that the cutoff income is way too low. All parents should be able to get the pay for private schools no matter what the income.
—Elke Nadeau of Greenfield, NH
I strongly encourage this comittee to expand the elgibility and per pupil funding of the EFA program. Across our nation it has very often resulted in superior education for our children as demonstated by standardized test scores and other criterior. Competition should be embraced as it is in almost every other endeaver. Far too many students fail to learn life skills for success from their public schools. Teachers union controlled schools have failed our children far, far too many times. Thank you, Charles Krause Peterborough, NH
—Charles Krause of PETERBOROUGH, NH
I am in favor of giving the parents the right to choose what type of education suits their children best. The money does not belong to the schools it belongs to the parents that pay taxes
—Laura Cafiso of Plaistow, NH
NH government schools are have abysmal proficiency ratings. About 35% of government school students are proficient in math and reading. A truly pathetic number.
The NH government schooling system spends on average, $24k per student per year of NH taxpayer dollars, and can’t even teach half the kids to read.
Educational freedom accounts and voucher programs allow families to choose whether they want to send their kids to the failing government school in their district, or send them to another district, or a private school, or homeschool.
Most importantly, the cost of education per student per year when we use these programs goes down by AT LEAST 40% to $15k per student per year. That’s clearly a more cost effective program, and it also gives students and parents more options for what is best for their children.
In summary, if we were to switch way from government schools entirely and only use property taxes to fund these vouchers, we could lower property taxes by at least 40%
The excessive tax burden isn’t from the education vouchers which
- give parents choices
- make education an industry with competition (monopolies are bad and competition lowers prices) And
- Already cost less than a government school education
The excessive taxes are from the failing government schools.
—William Barger of Manchester, NH
I am a parent of a graduate of a charter school who mentally suffered in the traditional public school environment. Once he discovered an alternative, where he exclaimed “Mom the kids are just like me”, he thrived and went on to a healthy and happy educational experience. We are not wealthy and neither was the charter school. Many sacrifices, but worth the investment for someone who didn’t fit the cookie cutter model student.
—Mary Arnault of Rochester, NH
Dear Representatives,
I am writing to you as a concerned resident of New Hampshire and a father of two children. I urge you to support HB115, which aims to make eligibility for the Education Freedom Account program universal.
This legislation is crucial because it ensures that taxpayer dollars are used directly for their intended purpose: the education of our children. By supporting HB115, you will empower all New Hampshire parents to select the educational environment that best suits their child’s unique needs and abilities.
My family, along with many others in our community, would greatly benefit from having our tax dollars follow our children to the school of our choice. This initiative not only supports educational freedom but also promotes diversity in educational opportunities across our state.
Please support school choice by voting in favor of HB115.
Thank you for your service and for considering the voices of your constituents.
Sincerely, Brian Yurek
—Brian Yurek of Chester, NH
This would especially be helpful for children with special needs who need a different environment than a large public school setting. Many children have sensory processing disorders, childhood trauma, and alike who need smaller groups with supportive specialized educators/therapists. Having this pass means more opportunities for children to have a positive experience with education that understands their individual needs. Many families in this circumstance right now don’t qualify because on paper they make over the amount to qualify but these families pay out of pocket for many of the therapies their children need. And many of them choose to homeschool because the schools are too overwhelming and/or not a good fit for their children. Thank you for considering this.
—Ingrid Nicholson of Exeter, NH