Curtis Hamilton

Testimony Opposing HB 1573 My name is Curtis Hamilton. I serve as a member of the Contoocook Valley School Board, but I am testifying today on behalf of myself. I agree with the premise behind HB 1573. Encouraging civic engagement and supporting participation in career and technical education activities are worthy goals. As a school board member, I strongly value experiential learning, student voice, and opportunities that connect classroom instruction to the real world. My concern with this bill is not its intent, but its approach. Decisions about excused absences, academic credit, and how learning time is structured have long and appropriately rested with local school boards. These decisions require balancing instructional time, student accountability, staffing realities, and community expectations—factors that vary significantly across districts. Local boards already have the authority to excuse absences for civic, CTE, and enrichment activities, and many districts actively do so. HB 1573 shifts that discretion upward and introduces state-directed requirements and rulemaking that risk reducing flexibility rather than expanding opportunity. I am also concerned about the cumulative effect of well-intentioned mandates. Each new requirement, even one that seems modest in isolation, adds administrative complexity and compliance obligations at the local level—often without clear guidance on implementation or impact. For these reasons, while I support the underlying goals of HB 1573, I believe the decision-making authority should remain with local school boards, where policies can be tailored thoughtfully to students, staff, and community context.