Louis Esposito

Students do not enter classrooms as blank slates. They arrive carrying stress, trauma, mental health challenges, and unmet needs. Research consistently shows that between 13 and 20 percent of youth experience significant mental health concerns, and fewer than half receive the support they require. For many students, school is the most stable and consistent access point for assistance. Removing a coordinated system of support weakens that access. MTSS-B operates through a tiered model. Universal supports create positive, predictable environments for all students. Targeted interventions provide skill-building and short-term assistance for those who need additional help. Intensive supports are individualized and coordinated for students with more complex needs. This structure mirrors how schools approach academic instruction. It is thoughtful, data-informed, and responsive. MTSS-B reflects a simple but critical principle: behavior is often a form of communication. When a student is struggling, the appropriate response is to examine the environment, the available supports, and the unmet needs. If we remove preventative systems, we increase reliance on exclusionary discipline and crisis response. That shift disproportionately impacts students with disabilities, students of color, and other marginalized youth. HB 1754 would dismantle a coordinated approach that supports both educators and students. It does not offer a replacement framework. It simply removes structure at a time when schools need clarity and consistency. On behalf of ABLE NH, I respectfully urge you to vote Inexpedient to Legislate on HB 1754.