The battle for school choice continues with the Croydon School Board vs the NH Department of Education!
What: Superior Court hearing of the Croydon School Board vs the NH Department of Education
When: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at 1:00pm
Where: Sullivan County Superior Courthouse, 22 Main Street, Newport, NH 03773
Join us when Croydon’s school choice program has its day in court against the NH DOE and Attorney General. Please come out to support school choice and parents — not the state — choosing what is best for their children’s educations.
The tiny town of Croydon implemented a cost-savings school choice program that enables families to pick alternatives to their “anchor” school. Although the NH DOE gave tacit approval along the way, they now want to put an end to it. Currently four Croydon students are utilizing the program to attend a private school at a SAVINGS of roughly $16K to the town.
In mid December the state failed to receive an injunction that would have immediately stopped tuition payments to the private school, effectively forcing the Croydon students back into a district that does not fit their educational needs.
This is the hearing that will address the legal standing of Croydon’s school choice program. The outcome will have a major impact on alternatives other towns with small and declining enrollments could offer to their residents. Other districts have expressed interest in this innovative program, which is exactly what the Department of Education fears. This school choice program is consistent with state statutes and current practices that allow tuition agreements with private schools, including some across state lines. It also
– allows school districts to focus on educating children
– provides parents a greater voice in how that will be done
– saves local taxpayers money in the short run by sending kids to private schools that charge less than public schools
– saves all taxpayers money in the long run by allowing competition to rein in the cost of public schools
– provides incentives for innovative educators to cater to students who are not being served by the current public school monopoly
Also, please sign our petition to support school choice for small districts. It will send an email to Dr. Virginia Barry, the commissioner of the NH Department of Education, and the Honorable Joseph Foster, the Attorney General. It sends a message asking them to drop the lawsuit against Croydon and opposition to HB 1637, a bill that would clarify the law enabling small districts to include private school alternatives if they do not have a school at the children’s grade levels.
For additional information on the background of Croydon’s innovative program and their legal challenge from the Department of Education, read the following articles.
HB 1637 — School Choice for Small Towns
Guarantee an Adequate Education?
Injunction Hearing for Croydon vs the NH DOE
Response to the NH DOE and Attorney General
It’s About Control, Not the Kids
The NH DOE Continues to Bully Croydon
The DOE Wants to End School Choice
Innovative School Choice Program in Croydon
