|
LAW |
|
Year Passed |
1995; last amended in 2010.
|
|
Rank |
11th weakest of the nation's 41 charter laws. |
|
Grade |
D |
|
GENERAL DATA |
|
|
• Student funding is nearly half of conventional public school funding, causing charters to close due to lack
of money
• School boards typically hostile
• Cumbersome "town hall" style approval process |
|
MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - NO |
|
Approval |
School board with three-step approval process involving town votes and a
final state board approval. A ten-year pilot program created in 2003 allows
some applicants to bypass this process and apply directly to the state.
(Because of limitations of both agencies this is not considered an
independent authorizing route.) |
|
Appeal |
Yes. Applications denied by the school board may be appealed to the State Board of Education. |
|
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED |
|
Cap |
No for charters approved by the local board. However, no more than 10
percent of resident pupils shall be eligible to transfer to a charter school in
any school year without board approval. Up to 20 charters may be approved
by the State Board of Education in the pilot program. |
|
OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY |
|
State |
Yes. Charters receive a blanket waiver from state rules and regulations.
Virtual schools are allowed.Management contracts with ESPs are not
restricted. |
|
Local |
No. There is no general waiver for local rules and regulations. |
|
Teacher Freedom |
Yes. Teachers are not covered by district bargaining agreements and may
negotiate as separate unit with charter school governing body or work
independently. A charter school may choose to participate in the state
teacher retirement system. |
|
EQUITY |
|
Student Funding |
• Locally approved charters receive significantly less (almost half)
despite language to the contrary.
• State approved charters funded by separate state appropriation.
• Funding inequities have forced school closures.
• Funds pass through the state.
"There shall be no tuition charge for any pupil attending an open enrollment or charter conversion school located in that pupil's resident district. Funding limitations in this chapter shall not be applicable to charter conversion or open enrollment schools located in a pupil's resident district. For a charter or open enrollment school authorized by the school district, the pupil's resident district shall pay to such school an amount equal to not less than 80 percent of that district's average cost per pupil as determined by the department of education using the most recent available data as reported by the district to the department. (b) For any chartered public school authorized by the state board of education pursuant to RSA 194-B:3-a, the state shall pay tuition pursuant to RSA 198:40-a and RSA 198:40-c directly to the chartered public school for each pupil who is a resident of this state in attendance at such chartered public school." [NH 194-B:11.1] |
|
Facilities Funding |
None |
