The following is the legislative schedule for the week of February 9, 2015. The schedule is subject to change especially with the latest snow storm. Updates will be made as information becomes available, so check back.
Tuesday, February 10
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, Legislative Office Building, room 103
9:00 a.m. SB 157-FN, establishing a civics education requirement as a condition for high school graduation.
position — OPPOSE
more information — Top-Down Education in SB 157 Defies Local Control, we should fight against additional federal and state involvement in local education decisions, not add to it
9:40 a.m. SB 195-FN, requiring instruction in cursive handwriting and memorization of multiplication tables.
position — OPPOSE
more information — This is a well-intended but an unfunded mandate, against Part 1 Article 28-A of the NH Constitution; FN says it has an “indeterminable” cost; the legislature should not be dictating schools’ standard as it is against local control
10:00 a.m. SB 204-FN, repealing the education tax credit program
position — OPPOSE
more information — What Do They Have Against Needy Students?
HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, Legislative Office Building room 207
10:00 a.m. Executive session (committee votes on these bills)
HB 301, allowing a parent to elect not to include their child in the unique pupil identification system or other information database maintained by the department of education, SUPPORT
HB 536, relative to payment for special education services for chartered public school students and relative to federal funds for chartered public schools, SUPPORT
HB 537-FN-L, relative to the calculation of the school administrative unit budget,
HB 562-FN-L, repealing the limitation on the total education grant distributed to a municipality in a fiscal year and reducing the stabilization grants to certain municipalities, SUPPORT
HB 577-FN-A-L, establishing a children’s savings account program,
HB 625-FN-A, relative to public charter schools, SUPPORT
HB 635-FN, relative to aid to school districts for costs of special education,
HB 676-FN-A, establishing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics scholars program.
1:00 p.m. HB 538-FN-L, relative to the implementation of new statewide education annual assessments
position — Neutral
more information — only allows districts a 2-yr delay for new assessments, why not give them the choice to determine what is right for their district; not supportive of local control.
1:30 p.m. HB 581-FN, requiring schools to continue the education of a child during the child’s suspension or expulsion.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
FULL SENATE SESSION, Senate chamber at the State House, starts at 10:00am
SB 69, establishing a commission to study social impact bond funding for early childhood education for at-risk students
position — OPPOSE
more information — Good Intentions Are Not Enough and Testimony for SB 69, this bill is a gateway bill towards universal preschool and chases another failed federal education experiment
SB 81, relative to the powers of the state board of education
position — SUPPORT
more information — The State Board of Ed Overreaches Its Authority, this bill is not a solution in search of a problem and addresses clear instances of the BOE exceeding its statutory authority
SB 82, relative to the authority of the commissioner of the department of education
position — SUPPORT
more information — NHFFE’s Restricts Authority of Commissioner of Education to Restore Local Control, this bill creates greater transparency and accountability
SB 101, prohibiting the state from requiring implementation of common core standards
position — SUPPORT
more information — NHFFE’s Prohibiting the DOE from Requiring the Implementation of Common Core in Any School or School District in NH, protects local control and reinforces legislative intent to keep “dispositions” out of NH standards and assessments
HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, Legislative Office Building room 207
10:00am HB 142, relative to student social media policies by education institutions
position — SUPPORT
more information — 1st, 4th and 5th Amendment protections applicable to all people not just adults
10:30am HB 206, relative to non-academic surveys or questionnaires given to students
position — SUPPORT
more information — consistent with parents’ rights to opt-out of controversial materials for his/her own student found in RSA 186:11, IX-c; consistent with past legislative intent to keep dispositions (values, attitudes, and beliefs) out of assessments and standards (SB 192 in 2011 and SB 82 in 2013); consistent with parents’ rights to opt-out
11:30am HB 302, requiring a public hearing prior to the submission of a grant application by the department of education
position — SUPPORT
more information — need for greater transparency as the DOE’s grants are why NH has adopted Common Core and developed the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS), the massive student database that connects with other state agencies and third-party companies; Why Did NH Adopt Common Core Math Standards
2:30 p.m. HB 317, relative to contracts between schools and school districts
2:55 p.m. HB 237, requiring vocational education centers to prioritize science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curricula as a condition for funding
3:20 p.m. HB 332, relative to school district policy regarding objectionable course material
position — SUPPORT
more information — consistent with parents’ rights to opt-out of controversial materials for his/her own student found in RSA 186:11, IX-c; this bill seeks prior notification to parents from the schools and availability of the materials ahead of time so parents can make informed decisions regarding their children’s education
To contact the entire House Education Committee, you may send one email to HouseEducationCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
The following is the Senate Education Committee‘s contact information.
John Reagan, Chairman
john.reagan111@gmail.com
(603)271-4063
Nancy Stiles, Vice Chairman
nancy.stiles@leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-3093
Kevin Avard
Kevin.Avard@.leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-4151
Molly Kelly
molly.kelly@leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-3207
David Watters
david.watters@leg.state.nh.us
(603)271-8631
