The NH House of Representatives voted on several bills last week regarding home education. A few now advance, or “cross over,” to the NH Senate, where the process of public hearings, testimony opportunities, and executive sessions will continue.
HB 1155 – Relative to the Home Education Advisory Council (HEAC)
- Bill text as introduced
- Passed with Amendment in a roll call vote, 180 to 156
- The bill as passed by the House, removes the Home Education Advisory Council (HEAC) but retains the state Board of Education’s rule-making authority. This is in contrast to HB 1268, which strikes the entire section of RSA 193-A related to HEAC and the Board of Education’s rule-making authority. In the executive session of HB 1268, the prime sponsor recalled attempts in 2009 when the rule-making authority was used to implement more restrictive home education regulations that were rejected by the legislature. Refer to the video beginning around mark 1:00:46.
HB 1268 – Modifying definitions and requirements relative to home education programs
- Bill text as introduced
- Passed with Amendment in a roll call vote, 174 to 166
- This bill completely rewrites NH’s home education statute. We appreciate the committee’s work and the sponsor’s willingness to incorporate changes. This version is stronger than previous drafts in several key ways and addresses several concerns GSHE and other families raised after the bill was introduced. While the bill reduces paperwork requirements, gaps remain where compulsory attendance and truancy laws interact with the home education statute. These gaps leave families “guilty until proven innocent.” GSHE hopes these points are addressed in additional amendments.
- Read GSHE’s complete update here: HB 1268 Passes the House. Full analysis and Pugh chart are here: HB 1268 Amendment #0887h: NH Home Education Bill Update.
HB 1774 – Relative to qualifying scholarship granting organizations and programs of low-earning outcomes (federal tax-credit scholarships)
- Bill text as introduced
- Passed with Amendment in a voice vote
- This bill enables NH participation in a new federal tax-credit scholarship program and may affect independent home education families depending on participation in the scholarship program.
- Full GSHE analysis here: HB 1774 (2026): Federal Tax-Credit Scholarships and Independent Home Education.
Next Steps
This marks the midpoint of the legislative session as “cross over” begins, with the House and Senate exchanging successful bills.
The bills discussed above regarding home education will be scheduled for public hearings and executive sessions in the weeks ahead. GSHE will continue to monitor developments and share updates as the session progresses.
Thank you for staying engaged. Our commitment remains the same: principled advocacy that puts parents and their children first in the independent home education pathway.
Want to Support Home Education in New Hampshire?
Families who want to engage with the legislative process—whether for five minutes or an entire day—can find practical guidance in our how-to resource:
Making a Difference: How to Engage in NH’s Legislative Process
GSHE Advocacy Resources
Join GSHE to access all of our how-to guides, community forums, and receive our newsletter to stay informed.
Sign up for our newsletters and periodic special alerts at our website. Members automatically receive our monthly newsletters directly to your emails.
Members can access our Making a Difference how-to guide that includes a video on how to be an effective advocate in Concord — how to follow bills, prepare testimony, and coordinate with others.
Members can also find news and updates in our GSHE Action Forum that is focused on advocacy for traditional, unfunded home education, open to NH home education families and supporters not legislators or special-interest organizations and their representatives.
Granite State Home Educators (GSHE) is a 501c4, all-volunteer statewide grassroots organization created to support and empower families who choose home education for their children’s learning.
