New laws being considered by the New Hampshire Legislature are spurring the ConVal School District to try to determine how potential changes could affect the district in the next few years. 

An “open enrollment” bill was approved by the state House of Representatives April 10 as part of the state  budget bill. The proposed law would require that every school district in New Hampshire allow their students to consider other public school options, and would require districts to pay the out-of-district tuition rate determined by school of the student’s choice.

Critics of the proposal warn that the change would have a negative effect on smaller and low-performing districts, exacerbating inequalities in school districts and putting students with fewer resources at en even greater disadvantage. 

Superintendent Ann Forrest said that if the law passes, ConVal could potentially see an increase in requests from out-of-district students to enroll in ConVal schools. The ConVal School Board is currently determining the district’s out-of-district tuition rate. Forrest reported that she had reached out to the other superintendents in southwestern New Hampshire to find out how much their districts charge for out-of-district students. 

“So far, what I have heard back from the other superintendents is that they would also like to know what other districts are charging,” Forrest said. 

ConVal’s out-of-district tuition rate has typically been about $10,000, or 40% of the per student cost. 

In answer to a question from School Board member Tom Burgess of Peterborough about how the out-of-district tuition rate would apply to any towns which withdraw from the ConVal district, Forrest said the two rates would be determined separately.

“For individual students coming in from other districts, we can only take them if we have space. If there are five empty spots in a classroom, we can take them, because it is not adding a cost to the district, but if that class is full,  we are not going to hire a new teacher to accommodate that student from another district,” Forrest said.  “If a town withdraws, we would be establishing a tuition rate and negotiating with them, and we would be guaranteeing their students a spot in our school. We would hire new teachers if needed to accommodate those students.”

The board agreed to revisit the issue and review the district’s policy  on out of district tuition at the first School Board meeting in May. 

ConVal to partner with NH School Funding Fairness Project 

The board passed a motion, proposed by the Communications Committee, to  partner with the NH School Funding Fairness Project.

“We need to continue this discussion of how public schools are funded in New Hampshire,” said Curtis Hamilton, chair of the Communications Committee.

According to its website, the mission of the NH School Funding Fairness Project is to “inform the public about the condition of New Hampshire public schools and their funding; to advocate for changes to make the system more equitable for students and taxpayers alike; and, if  necessary, to prosecute, manage, control and/or participate in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the system for funding education in New Hampshire.” Information is available at  fairfundingnh.org.