Leah Hayden | Oppose HB1803

Dear Members of the Committee, I am writing to respectfully urge you not to pass HB 1803. As a New Hampshire parent, this bill would directly and negatively impact my family and others like mine who have relied on both Education Tax Credit (ETC) scholarships and Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) to provide a stable, appropriate education for our children. For my family, access to both programs has not been duplicative or excessive—it has been essential. Each program serves a different purpose, and together they have allowed us to meet our children’s educational needs in ways that neither program could accomplish alone. The ETC scholarship has helped cover tuition-related costs, making private education accessible when it otherwise would not have been. The EFA, on the other hand, has allowed us to address supplemental educational needs—such as tutoring, curriculum materials, therapies, and enrichment services—that are not fully covered by tuition alone. These supports are not luxuries; they are critical to ensuring our children can succeed academically and emotionally. HB 1803 would force families like mine into an unnecessary and harmful choice: which essential support do we give up? This is not about preventing “double dipping.” It is about removing flexibility from families who are already carefully budgeting, planning, and making thoughtful educational decisions in the best interest of their children. Importantly, these programs are funded differently and were designed with different goals in mind. Prohibiting families from accessing both in the same year does not create fairness—it creates instability. It risks disrupting students mid-year, undermining continuity, and placing additional stress on families who are doing everything they can to provide consistent educational environments. New Hampshire’s school choice programs have been successful because they trust parents to know what their children need. HB 1803 moves away from that principle by imposing a blanket restriction that does not reflect how families actually use these programs in practice. For my family, the combination of ETC and EFA support has meant: Educational continuity Access to necessary academic and developmental supports Financial stability without reliance on public school resources The ability to meet our children where they are, not force them into a one-size-fits-all model I respectfully ask you to consider the real-world impact of this bill on families and students who are thriving under the current system. Please allow New Hampshire families to continue using these programs as they were intended—to complement one another, not compete with one another. Thank you for your time, consideration, and commitment to supporting New Hampshire’s children and families. Sincerely, Leah J. Hayden Goffstown, NH