New Hampshire spends nearly a quarter of its state budget each year on public education. Where that funding goes — and who might benefit most from those investments — are likely to remain key questions for whomever serves as governor in the years ahead.
On the campaign trail, both Gov. Chris Sununu and his Democratic challenger, Sen. Tom Sherman, are positioning themselves as supporters of the state’s public schools. Both point to measures they’ve supported in recent years to increase state spending on K-12 schools and early childhood education.
But on some other hot-button education questions, their differences are more stark. While serving in the state Senate, Sherman has sought to repeal two high-profile laws that Sununu signed: one expanding school choice and another governing classroom discussions on race and racism.
And on these issues, the divide between these gubernatorial candidates reflects the widening differences between the Democratic and Republican parties on the purpose and role of public schools.
Many of the decisions that shape education funding and policy are up to the state board of education, local school boards and the Legislature. But as the state’s chief executive, the governor can set the tone, set priorities and veto bills related to education.
The future of Education Freedom Accounts
New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Accounts, which are designed to help low and moderate-income families pay for educational alternatives to public school, have become a major partisan divide in the State House and now on the campaign trail.
The program has gotten significantly higher enrollment than originally projected and is over budget; still, it accounts for only a small percentage of the state’s public school expenditures.
Next year, lawmakers plan to introduce bills to allow families at any income level to participate. Sununu’s campaign signaled the governor would be open to considering such changes.
“As it currently stands, the Governor does not believe the EFA program is in need of any changes considering how successful it has been,” they told NHPR. “However, given the immense popularity of the program, some have suggested making changes down the line, which the Governor is happy to consider should any legislation reach his desk.”
If elected, Sherman has said he wants to repeal the program. But he said he would allow students who are currently enrolled to continue making use of the Education Freedom Accounts even if the program is repealed, as long as they continue to meet income eligibility requirements.
How N.H. funds public schools
Under Sununu’s tenure, New Hampshire is spending more money per student at local public schools than ever before — in part because of an infusion of federal COVID-19 relief money and a temporary boost in state funds approved by the Legislature.
Democrats, including Sherman, have said the state should be covering a larger share of the cost of public education, particularly in communities with high property tax rates.
Sherman has also attacked Sununu for lowering taxes that help fund the state’s education coffers. But in spite of recent tax cuts, that fund currently has a surplus of over $100 million.
While the governor will set priorities and sign the state budget, it will ultimately be up to House and Senate lawmakers to hammer out specifics on the future of funding for K-12 schools and the public university system. The state is currently facing several lawsuits over education funding, which may affects these decisions.
Parental involvement in schools
From lessons on racism to policies regarding transgender students, many of the big partisan debates about education today revolve around how schools are responding to growing diversity and what role parents should play in school curriculum.
Many Republicans in New Hampshire and around the country have framed these concerns as a fight for greater “parental rights” in education, referring to a broad effort to affirm parents’ ability to direct the education and medical care of their child and to have more say in how schools address race, sexuality and gender.
The New Hampshire governor’s race has, to a large extent, avoided these debates. But if Republicans maintain control of the State House, these issues are likely to remain a focal point in the coming legislative session.
When Republican lawmakers introduced a parental rights bill last legislative session, Sununu broke with much of his party and raised concerns about that legislation after the Attorney General’s office saidit could violate the civil rights of LGBTQ+ students. Republicans have signaled plans to introduce a new version of the bill next year.
That statewide legislation hasn’t been a central issue in the governor’s race. But in a recent forum, Sununu and Sherman were asked to weigh in on the Manchester school district’s decision to withhold information about a student’s gender identity from their mother, which prompted a lawsuit against the district.
Sherman said these situations should be approached on a case-by-case basis, but there may be exceptions to disclosing information if a child’s safety would be at risk.
“If the parent is a part of the team, then I think that we should really be incorporating the parent into that discussion,” Sherman said.
Sununu also said that communication is important “if the health and safety of the kid is at risk."
“And Tom [Sherman] is absolutely right," Sununu added. "It’s got to be a team effort. It’s got to be transparent. It’s got to be collaborative.”
Curriculum on racism and inequality
Sherman and Sununu are more at odds over a state policy that prohibits training and classroom lessons that teach that anyone is inherently inferior, superior or oppressive towards someone of another group.
Sununu signed this policy into law in 2021 and has defended it since then, saying it does not prevent teachers from talking about racism and inequality. Sherman has criticized the law and, in the state Senate, co-sponsored a bill to repeal it.
Teachers’ unions and civil rights groups are challenging the law in court, alleging that it has a chilling effect on classroom discussions.
Recent polling from the University of New Hampshire suggests similar partisan divisions in the broader public. Overall, the poll found, 52% of respondents somewhat or strongly opposed the law, while 34% somewhat or strongly supported it. But when tracking those divides along political lines, over 90% of Democrats opposed the law, and over 60% of Republicans supported it.
