New Hampshire School Boards Association

Legislative Bulletin

January 17, 2014 

A Brief Summary of Education Issues at the State House  

Upcoming Issue at the State House

Common Core: Since their adoption by the State Board of Education in July of 2010, the Common Core standards have prompted much debate and criticism relative to their rigor and potential usurpation of local control by federal and state governments.  As the NH Dept. of Education has often indicated, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Initiative is a state led effort that included math, reading, and curriculum specialists, in partnership with the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The original purpose was to establish a single set of clear educational expectations that states could share and voluntarily adopt.  New Hampshire has already embedded the standards from this initiative into our College and Career Ready Standards, and is now in a transition process for implementation with corresponding student assessment.  The laudable goal is to ensure that all New Hampshire students experience a successful and productive future.  Several bills this session address the issue of Common Core standards in one way or another.  Hearings on the House bills will likely occur in early February.

HB1238 - This bill requires the department of education to make available assessment questions and response sheets on the department's website as soon as possible after the assessment results are released.

HB1239 - This bill requires the state board of education to report on the fiscal impact of implementing the college and career readiness standards, and prohibits the board from implementing any new common core standards until the board performs a fiscal analysis and conducts a public hearing in each executive council district.

HB1247 - This bill requires the department of education to reimburse school districts for technology costs necessary to implement a statewide assessment program.

HB1262 - This bill restricts the collection, storage, and sharing of student assessment data by the United States Department of Education and the New Hampshire Department of Education.

HB1397 - This bill establishes a committee to study whether the department of education is operating within its statutory authority.

HB1432 - This bill delays for 2 years the implementation of the department of education's common core state standards implementation framework, as adopted by the state board of education in July of 2012. The bill also requires the legislative oversight committee to study the feasibility of implementing the planned education improvements in New Hampshire public schools contained in the minimum standards for public school approval, including the department of education's common core state standards implementation framework.

HB1496 - This bill provides that a school district shall not be required to administer any assessment which is not valid and appropriate, or which cannot be objectively scored.

HB1508 - This bill requires the state board of education to terminate all plans, programs, activities, and expenditures relative to the implementation of the common core state educational standards which have been adopted or may be adopted by the state board, including any assessments and instruction based upon such standards.

SB343 - This bill establishes a commission to study the common core standards.

Scheduled hearings next week include the following:

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Legislation Considered Next Tuesday, January 21, 2014

HOUSE EDUCATION, 207, LOB

10:30 a.m. HB 1187 - This bill permits a pupil's parent or legal guardian to appeal a change of school assignment decision of the superintendent to the school board.

11:00 a.m. HB 1113 - This bill requires school districts to distribute a concussion and head injury information sheet to student-athletes.

11:30 a.m. HB 1180-FN-L - This bill increases the minimum number of days of school from 180 to 190 and authorizes up to 10 of those days to be completed online in a manner to be determined by the school board.

1:15 p.m. HB 1147 - This bill authorizes a school board to develop and implement a policy permitting commercial advertising on school district property.

2:00 p.m. HB 1191 - This bill establishes a commission to study manufacturing education in New Hampshire.

2:45 p.m. HB 1199-L - This bill makes changes to the exception provision for schools in an authorized regional enrollment agreement.

SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 103, LOB

9:50 a.m. SB 350 - This bill requires the commissioner of the department of education to provide final average daily membership data to the commissioner of the department of revenue administration no later than October 1 of each year.

10:10 a.m. SB 343 - This bill establishes a commission to study the common core standards.

HOUSE LABOR, Room 307, LOB

1:15 p.m. HB 1228 - This bill establishes a commission to investigate whether using the same procedure for collective bargaining for all categories of public employees is effective.

Legislation Considered Next Wednesday, January 22, 2014

SENATE PUBLIC AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, Room 102, LOB

9:45 a.m. SB 236 - This bill allows municipalities with a municipal budget committee to deliver final budget and recommendations to the governing body the Thursday before the last Monday in January.

10:00 a.m. SB 301 - This bill permits a town to prohibit for 2 years a petitioned warrant article for the purpose of adopting or rescinding an official ballot referendum form of government after such warrant has failed to receive a 3/5 majority vote in 2 successive town meetings.

Legislation Considered Next Thursday, January 23, 2014

HOUSE EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB

10:00 a.m. HB 1132-FN - This bill requires school districts to complete a school building inventory report and requires the department of education to compile a statewide school building inventory and database.

11:00 a.m. HB 1208 - This bill requires the university and community college systems of New Hampshire to submit data on the number of first-year students from New Hampshire high schools who are required to take remedial classes.

1:15 p.m. HB 1141 - This bill requires that a chartered public school share certain information about each child who enrolls with the child's resident district.

1:45 p.m. HB 1298 - This bill adds criteria for review of chartered public school applications on measurement of student learning and geographic accessibility.

2:15 p.m. HB 1449 - This bill makes changes to the educational mission requirement of a chartered public school application.

HOUSE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 306, LOB

10:30 a.m. HB 1126 - This bill establishes a committee to study alternative public employee retirement plans.

2:00 p.m. HB 1493-FN-L - This bill requires the executive director of the retirement system to suspend a member's retirement allowance for exceeding the hourly limitations for part-time employment with a retirement system employer. The bill also clarifies the membership requirements for political subdivision officials appointed for fixed terms.

HOUSE JUDICIARY, Room 208, LOB

10:00 a.m. HB 1156-FN-L - This bill makes certain changes in the right-to-know law. The changes include:

I. Requiring a public posting of circumstances that are not considered meetings under RSA 91-A. II. Requiring 72 hours notice of the meeting and the agenda before a public meeting. III. Requiring minutes of nonpublic sessions to be kept as permanent records. IV. Changing from discretionary to mandatory that the court invalidate any action of a public body which may be in violation of  

RSA 91-A.

10:45 a.m. HB 1153-FN - This bill allows a public body or agency to require a deposit for right-to-know requests.

11:15 a.m. HB 1591-FN - This bill establishes the right-to-know grievance commission. The commission shall hear appeals from citizens relating to RSA 91-A. Decisions of the grievance commission may be appealed to the superior court.

1:45 p.m. HB 1470 - Under this bill, a quorum shall be physically present at meetings under the right-to-know law; provided, however, that if a member or members necessary to meet such a quorum must travel in excess of 60 miles to the meeting, such member or members may participate electronically or otherwise.

HOUSE MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT, Room 304, LOB

10:00 a.m. Joint informational briefing with House Science, Technology and Energy committee on the "PILOT" (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) bills.

SENATE FINANCE, Room 100, SH (State House)

1:00 p.m. SB 217-FN - This bill prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join, or contribute to, a labor union.