There are numerous bills being heard in Concord that will have an impact on education.

One Bill that seems to be of interest is House Bill 337. HB 337 makes changes to the determination of the per pupil cost of the opportunity for an adequate education. The bill lowers the base line salary that would become part of the formula to determine adequacy for teachers, principals, guidance counselors, media specialists, technology coordinators, reading specialists, administrative assistants and custodians. It also lowers the total amount of aid for schools as a part of the total payment as part of the Free and Reduced Lunch program.

Adequacy Cost:

The base per pupil cost is $3,540, but certain school and individual factors increase the cost. The percentage of students eligible for free/reduced priced school lunch is the only school factor. This allocation, specified as differentiated aid, is allocated only when the F/R rate is 12% or more. The F/R rate is calculated using students in grades 1-12 identified as eligible in October. All students in kindergarten through grade 12, not just those eligible for F/R, are allocated differentiated aid based on the following differentiated rates:

                       F/R rate of 12.00% to 23.99%, $885

                       F/R rate of 24.00% to 35.99%, $1,770

                       F/R rate of 36.00% to 47.99%, $2,655

                       F/R rate of 48.00% or more, $3,540

Current adequacy payments in Keene are based on the following free and reduced lunch percentages:

                      Jonathan Daniels: 25.96%

                      Franklin: 56.07%

                      Fuller: 34.09%

                      Symonds: 24.16%

                      Wheelock: 52.15%

                      Keene High School: 23.70%

                      Keene Middle School: 32.01%

Cost of adequacy student factors and rates are:

                      $1,904 for special education student

                      $693 for an English Language Learner receiving English Language Instruction     

Keene is projected to receive $70,000 less in adequacy aid next year than Keene received in adequacy aid this year. The adequacy cost was built upon the calculation of the number of teachers needed to teach the estimated number of students using the state's guidelines for class size. 25 to 1 in grades K-2 and 30-1 in grades 3-12. The Legislature then multiplied the total number of teachers by the lowest quartile average teacher pay for step three and a BA and came up with the cost per teacher and then divided it by the total number of students.

In addition the Legislature added the following for additional personnel costs judged as needed to deliver adequacy:

- a principal and administrative assistant for every 500 students

- a counselor for every 400 students

- a library media specialist for every 500 students

- a technology coordinator for every 1200 students

- a custodian for every 500 students

There are several other bills of interest including  HB 631which would repeal the requirement that all school districts offer public kindergarten. 

There are a couple of Senate Bills that would set up a study committee to study the consolidation of school administrative units and a bill to establish a committee to study school vouchers and school choice.

The Governor will present his budget to the legislature next week. Then the Legislative Phase of the budget ends on June 30.

Molly Kelly, although no longer Chair on the Senate Education Committee, is still serving on the Education Committee. Review the links below to find out which local legislators may be assigned to the education or finance committees.

(http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/standingcommittees.aspx) (http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/sencom.asp).

Keene has been awarded $321,375 as part of the federal Education Jobs Fund program. This money may be used for school level salaries and benefits only as well as to help balance the general fund budget next year.