Meagan Burger

Thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Meagan Burger, and I am a parent, homeowner, and community member deeply invested in the strength and stability of New Hampshire’s public schools. I am writing in strong opposition to HB 1093. New Hampshire already has a $200 million backlog in approved public-school building projects. More than 6,000 public-school students are waiting for long-overdue repairs and upgrades. These projects have been vetted, ranked, and placed in line under the state’s existing process. HB 1093 would allow charter schools — most of which lease their buildings and are not required to serve all students — to jump ahead of public schools that have been waiting for years. This bill also removes limits on how much aid charter schools can receive and speeds up payouts from an already limited fund. That matters because school building aid is directly tied to local property taxes. When the state diverts scarce dollars away from district schools, towns are forced to shoulder the cost themselves. Homeowners feel that immediately. Charter schools already receive roughly $9,000 per student in state funding, compared to $4,128 per student for public schools. There is no statewide evidence that charter schools outperform district schools, and they are not held to the same accountability standards. Public schools, by law, must serve every child who walks through the door — including students with disabilities, English learners, and those with higher needs. Charter schools are not required to do the same. Given the backlog, the unmet needs, and the constitutional obligation to provide an adequate public education, it is simply not responsible to prioritize charter-school facilities over the public schools that educate the vast majority of New Hampshire’s children. I urge the committee to vote “Inexpedient to Legislate” on HB 1093 and to focus instead on restoring and strengthening building aid for public schools. Thank you for your consideration.