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LAW

Year Passed

1995; last amended in 2008.

Rank

11th weakest of the nation's 40 charter laws.

Grade

D

GENERAL DATA

• 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.

• Average per pupil revenue - $5,000 for state approved schools; less for local

"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