The most consequential change for Conway’s schools in a generation may finally be here. Of course, it did not come from inflammatory missives, veiled threats, or theatrics masquerading as intellect at school board meetings. It didn’t come from perennial calls to gut public education in the name of “reform.” It came from years of data-driven advocacy, disciplined legal strategy, and a refusal to accept a system where some children get less simply because of where they live.
And it’s no surprise that once again, real change didn't originate here in Conway.
“In a potentially significant ruling, the New Hampshire Supreme Court affirmed what has already been proven: the state’s current method of funding public education is broken, and once again deemed unconstitutional. In ConVal v. State of New Hampshire, the court upheld that the base adequacy amount — just over $4,100 per pupil — bears little resemblance to the actual cost of delivering a minimally sufficient public education.”
And therein lies the problem with compulsory public education. How do we achieve an equitable distribution of taxpayer funds throughout an entire State, such as New Hampshire? Especially considering the extreme differences in population density, property tax bases, and demographics between one part of the state and another.
Is it “fair” or “equitable” for one part of the State to carry another part of the State, especially when there is such a disparity in property taxes and services delivered? How do you square someone who lives in the uppermost northern fringes of the State receiving the same opportunities or specialized educational services as someone living on the Massachusetts border? And then there are the statewide shrinking enrollment numbers to consider.
Lastly, you have a Town like N.Comway where a more affluent transient population bolsters inflated budgets beyond what actual residents can afford.
So, is the simple solution a statewide school tax along with a centralized state public school system with an equitable distribution of funds and resources across all the different school districts? I can just hear the screams already.
One thing is certain: the current public school paradigm is unsustainable and slowly collapsing under its own fiscal weight.
Maybe it’s time to completely reimagine how we educate and socialize our children by using all of the current technology and property at our disposal. Let’s unshackle ourselves from those bloated administration/staffing costs [salaries/pensions/tenure], excessive/escalating maintenance costs, and union influence.
I’m fairly certain that New Hampshire possesses some of the brightest minds who could come up with a blueprint for an equitable and sustainable model of education if given the opportunity and without political interference. Who knows, maybe it could become a model for the rest of the country.
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“In a potentially significant ruling, the New Hampshire Supreme Court affirmed what has already been proven: the state’s current method of funding public education is broken, and once again deemed unconstitutional. In ConVal v. State of New Hampshire, the court upheld that the base adequacy amount — just over $4,100 per pupil — bears little resemblance to the actual cost of delivering a minimally sufficient public education.”
And therein lies the problem with compulsory public education. How do we achieve an equitable distribution of taxpayer funds throughout an entire State, such as New Hampshire? Especially considering the extreme differences in population density, property tax bases, and demographics between one part of the state and another.
Is it “fair” or “equitable” for one part of the State to carry another part of the State, especially when there is such a disparity in property taxes and services delivered? How do you square someone who lives in the uppermost northern fringes of the State receiving the same opportunities or specialized educational services as someone living on the Massachusetts border? And then there are the statewide shrinking enrollment numbers to consider.
Lastly, you have a Town like N.Comway where a more affluent transient population bolsters inflated budgets beyond what actual residents can afford.
So, is the simple solution a statewide school tax along with a centralized state public school system with an equitable distribution of funds and resources across all the different school districts? I can just hear the screams already.
One thing is certain: the current public school paradigm is unsustainable and slowly collapsing under its own fiscal weight.
Maybe it’s time to completely reimagine how we educate and socialize our children by using all of the current technology and property at our disposal. Let’s unshackle ourselves from those bloated administration/staffing costs [salaries/pensions/tenure], excessive/escalating maintenance costs, and union influence.
I’m fairly certain that New Hampshire possesses some of the brightest minds who could come up with a blueprint for an equitable and sustainable model of education if given the opportunity and without political interference. Who knows, maybe it could become a model for the rest of the country.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.