SCHOOLS

Governor Sununu Statement Following Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee Vote to Accept $46M in Education Funding

CONCORD – After two years of obstruction and delay by Democrats on the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee, the new Republican majority voted today to accept $46 million in federal funds to benefit New Hampshire Schools. Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement:

“Today, commonsense prevailed and kids won,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “For two years, hundreds of kids have made the trip to Concord to advocate for what they believed in — and their hard work has finally paid off. Charter schools are public schools, and this game-changing grant will open up doors of opportunity for school children across the state. The right thing to do is always worth fighting for.”

Republicans Vote to Increase Property Taxes, Reduce Funding for Public Schools

CONCORD - Today, during a meeting of the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee, House and Senate Republicans voted to accept an unsustainable federal grant intended to double the number of charter schools across New Hampshire, thereby creating a $17 million gap in funding for the traditional public school system.

After the vote, Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy (D-Manchester), Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester), and Representative Peter Leishman (D- Peterborough) issued these statements:

“Supporting our existing charter schools and their students is, and always has been, a bipartisan priority,” stated Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy (D-Manchester). “This grant does not support existing charter school students or operations and leaves New Hampshire property tax payers responsible for filling a $17 million gap in state funding. Our efforts should be focused on helping our existing public schools and public charter schools who have been significantly impacted by the financial and administrative burden of COVID-19, not increasing taxes for our homeowners, renters, and small businesses during a period of mass financial instability.”

Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester) added, “The overhead costs to our school districts have only increased over the past year as they do everything in their power to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep our kids in the classroom. With declining enrollments across the state, it is imperative that we invest more in our existing public schools, not create more schools that will be left underfinanced. This is counterproductive in addressing declining enrollments and the failure to properly fund public education will mean a downshift of costs to property tax payers. This is a fiscally irresponsible expansion grant that could cost New Hampshire taxpayers millions and jeopardize the health and vitality of our current public schools and public charter schools.”

“This grant was initially rejected by the Fiscal Committee in December of 2019 because it would have threatened the financial stability of our traditional public schools and public charter schools. Many of our existing charter schools were struggling financially before the pandemic and are only hurting more now,” added Representative Peter Leishman (D-Peterborough).

“I had hoped that the Commissioner of Education would be able to request a modification of the grant to strengthen and support our existing public charter schools, not to create new ones and exacerbate the financial strains being felt on our current education system. This grant will only downshift costs to local property tax payers, something that no one can afford as we are all doing our best to keep our heads above water.”

The Founders Academy Public Charter School Awarded SPSR Funds

MANCHESTER – On December 7, 2020 The Founders Academy Public Charter School in Manchester, NH learned it would be awarded more than $155,000 in Supplemental Public School Response Funds (SPSRF#2) by the New Hampshire Department of Education. Most of this money comes to the state from the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The money will be used to cover expenses related to COVID including protective equipment, facility upgrades, and technology needs related to remote learning.

Upon receiving news of the grant money for The Founders Academy, Dean of School, Cassie Hayes said, “This grant helped covered the unexpected COVID-related expenses and allows us to continue to provide a safe and rigorous educational experience for all students. We are able to provide a safe learning environment for those students who would like to come into the building and a robust learning environment for those students who choose to work remotely.”

The Founders Academy is a public chartered school encompassing grades 6 through 12 that is free and open to all New Hampshire students. The Academy develops leaders who understand and apply the lessons of the past, demonstrate exceptional character and lead by example. The Academy recognizes the importance of balance in the development of the whole person, and respects each student’s journey.

Principled leadership is fostered by means of a curriculum of classical studies that includes analyzing the lives of great men and women of history, mining the rich classical ideals of the Western tradition, and tracing the evolution of the precious and costly idea of liberty.

The Founders Academy is currently accepting students for most grades for the 2020-2021 school year and recently opened admissions for the 2021-2022 school year. To learn more about The Founders Academy or to apply for admission, visit www.thefoundersacademy.org.