Kathy brunet

I respectfully oppose HB 1804. HB 1804 would dramatically restructure public school governance in New Hampshire by consolidating school administrative units, shifting key operational authority to school boards, and converting the chief school administrator (currently the superintendent role) into a partisan-style elected office. This is a high-risk reorganization that is likely to politicize school leadership, disrupt continuity in district operations, and create governance confusion at the exact time districts need stability to focus on student learning, staffing, special education compliance, safety, and fiscal management. The bill also appears to reduce local flexibility by pushing districts into a new county/city-based structure and imposing a rigid transition timeline, while limiting remedies for harms to “monetary damages only.” That is not a responsible way to manage large-scale change in public education systems that serve children and families every day. New Hampshire should strengthen public education through evidence-based improvements—not through sweeping structural changes that increase political pressure, complexity, and instability. For these reasons, I urge the committee to recommend HB 1804 as Inexpedient to Legislate.