The state's education system will likely face changes when Governor-Elect John Lynch takes office.
Candidate Lynch said he had reservations about many of the education reforms that Governor Craig Benson supported.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Amy Quinton reports.
Governor-Elect John Lynch says his approach to education will be very different than that of the current administration.
"the state has a responsibility to public education which is a very different approach than saying that the state has no responsibility for education and as Governor I plan to have the state fulfill its commitment to public education and I want to strengthen that commitment as well."
Lynch declined to discuss specifics about education reform.
But education leaders say his administration will be a welcome change.
Ted Comstock is with New Hampshire's School Board Association.
"I think it’s the overall perception that public education is a good thing and not something to be loathed and feared and replaced with something else"
Comstock is referring to what is always the biggest question when it comes to education in New Hampshire –how to pay for it.
Governor Benson wanted to overturn the Claremont decisions with a constitutional amendment.
Lynch opposes that, but many in the education community say his plan to eliminate the statewide property tax and target aid to many communities may also be unconstitutional.
Regardless, Comstock is optimistic that Lynch is committed to ending the school funding impasse.
"I believe the new governor will be responsive to the public and to the education groups in trying to find a way to adequately fund public education"
Governor Benson wanted to overhaul the state's education system,
but in doing so, rarely consulted with education groups.
Mark Joyce, President of the School Administrators Association, fought school vouchers and charter schools, two programs Benson backed.
"No one understood the appropriate channels for communicating to the prior administration; it was an administration that worked on its own idea and sought input when it thought it was necessary but really didn’t have open channels."
The biggest teachers union in the state only met with Benson once –for 10 minutes - during his two years in office.
Karen McDonough, President of the National Education Association of New Hampshire says Governor-Elect Lynch has promised an open door policy.
"we feel very positive, we feel he is a consensus builder, he does want to meet with us, he’s assured us, he's been over twice to meet with My Board of Directors.. that’s the type of Governor John will be"
This fall, the State Board of Education approved a new set of minimum school standards for the state.
The changes include requiring all districts to offer Kindergarten by 2007.
The plan also asks schools to allow students to receive credit for work done outside the classroom, so called real world learning.
The new requirements still face public hearings and will require approval from lawmakers.
Now the plan faces extra scrutiny from a new Governor.
School Board Chair Fred Bramante says he can't imagine that Lynch would disagree with those policies.
"I just think that the things we are doing are very sound educationally and I really don’t see there being places of disagreement at this point in time."
But real world learning has worried many education groups, who fear poor students may not have the same opportunities to learn outside the classroom.
Comstock says Lynch will demand that the new standards meet realistic funding and implementation tests.
"I don’t think that he would want to see real world learning become real world failure and I think he's sensitive to the issue of local school board implementation and costs and equity between students, I think he's going to take a hard studied look at that before he makes any decisions."
Governor Benson also wanted a voucher system to be part of the Kindergarten program.
Lynch adamantly opposes school vouchers.
Education Committee Chair Steve L' Heureux says regardless of how Lynch feels about real world learning or vouchers, the GOP-controlled legislature is going to move the debate forward.
"Once we can find a way to enact a law that allows choice within public schools, because that’s really what people want, they need a little help with money and they need a little help with choice, and it doesn’t effect local public schools, I can’t see how Governor Lynch won’t support something like that."
Lynch will also be the first governor to appoint an Education Commissioner and a State Board Chair.
While both Chairman Fred Bramante and Commissioner Nick Donahue hope to retain their leadership positions, Lynch has not indicated whether he'll support their reappointments.
For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.
