Megan Adams

I am writing in support of HB 1799 and urge the committee to pass this bill. The New Hampshire Supreme Court has been clear that the state is not meeting its constitutional obligation to fund an adequate education. This is not a political debate. It is a legal finding based on evidence showing that the current adequacy formula does not reflect the real cost of educating students in today’s public schools. HB 1799 directly responds to that finding. The state’s definition of an adequate education is outdated and disconnected from what schools are actually required to provide, including academic instruction, special education services, student support, and basic operational needs. When the state fails to fund these responsibilities, the cost is shifted to local property taxpayers. This bill takes a necessary and responsible step by modernizing how adequacy is defined and evaluated. It recognizes that adequacy must be based on real costs, not outdated assumptions, and that the current reliance on local property taxes creates inequities across communities. HB 1799 does not mandate excessive spending. It asks the state to meet its long-standing constitutional duty by honestly assessing what an adequate education costs and taking responsibility for funding it. I respectfully ask the committee to recommend HB 1799 as Ought to Pass. Thank you for your consideration.