Today, Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed SB 97 into law, shifting more power to New Hampshire families to choose a better-fit public school for their children.
Why it matters:
- Families have greater decision-making power when choosing a different public school, public academy, or approved private school within their district.
- SB 97 limits superintendent denials of within-district student transfers to considerations of school capacity only; families can appeal denials to the school board.
- In signing this bill, Gov. Ayotte continues to demonstrate her commitment to freedom and flexibility for Granite State families to direct their kids’ education. She also signed a universal expansion of Education Freedom Accounts in June.
- National polling shows two-thirds of Americans support a policy to empower students to access any public school in their state, regardless of where they live.
What we’re saying:
“Gov. Ayotte knows that every young Granite Stater deserves an education that meets their unique needs,” said Nick Murray, public affairs manager, yes. every kid. “We commend her for signing this legislation and look forward to working with the administration and legislative leaders to further expand public school options for all New Hampshire students.”
What the law changes:
- New Hampshire K-12 students applying to transfer to another public school, public academy, or approved private school within their district may only be denied for capacity reasons.
- Families must apply by July 1 to initiate a transfer for the upcoming school year, or they must meet with the superintendent.
- For students seeking to enroll in a public school outside of their assigned district, families will still need their district superintendent’s permission to begin the transfer process.
The bottom line:
Every family in New Hampshire, especially those living in large school districts like Manchester and Nashua, will have more options to chart their child’s educational journey in the ways they see fit.
About yes. every kid.
yes. every kid. is a leading advocacy team with a family-first approach to transform America’s education policy landscape. We work to transform education away from the current top-down standardized model to a bottom-up approach that enables every family and student to customize an education that best matches their values and priorities.
