Andrew Cline

2 weeks ago | nhjournal.com | Andrew Cline

Note: This analysis is based on the Legislative Budget Assistant’s Surplus Statement published on April 3. Any adjustments made after that date will not be accounted for in this policy brief. A decade’s worth of state revenue growth, primarily from rising business tax collections, has fueled significant state spending increases since 2015, with a particularly large jump coming in the 2024-25 budget. When writing that budget, lawmakers included more than $850 million in new revenues.

2 weeks ago | nhjournal.com | Andrew Cline

This article originally appeared at JBartlett.org. K-12 public school spending rises every year, whether enrollment increases or decreases. In this century, K-12 district public school enrollment in New Hampshire has fallen by more than 50,000 students, but spending is up by more than $1 billion, adjusted for inflation. How does this happen? The short answer is that local voters prefer to spend more on public schools, regardless of enrollment trends, tax rates or anything else.

2 weeks ago | jbartlett.org | Andrew Cline

K-12 public school spending rises every year, whether enrollment increases or decreases. In this century, K-12 district public school enrollment in New Hampshire has fallen by more than 50,000 students, but spending is up by more than $1 billion, adjusted for inflation. How does this happen? The short answer is that local voters prefer to spend more on public schools, regardless of enrollment trends, tax rates or anything else.

3 weeks ago | nhjournal.com | Andrew Cline |Jude Schwalbach

This article originally appeared at JBartlett.org. In the “Live Free or Die” state, switching public schools is surprisingly difficult. State law gives students only a few options. The one easy way is to enroll in a chartered public school, if one happens to be nearby and a good fit. Every other option is obstructed by a series of hurdles that cannot be cleared without the approval of public school officials.

3 weeks ago | jbartlett.org | Andrew Cline

On Thursday, decades’ worth of aged, decrepit talking points died in the New Hampshire House. Opponents of parental choice in education say the purpose of creating such choice is to “defund,” “privatize,” or “destroy” public schools. Public money should stay entirely in public schools, they say. This year, House Education Policy and Administration Chairman Glenn Cordelli called their bluff. His House Bill 741 creates statewide universal open enrollment for public schools.