Concerns Mount Over New Hampshire‘s Education Freedom Account Program
New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, designed to offer school choice to families, is facing increasing scrutiny over its cost, lack of accountability, and potential for unintended consequences. A recent study from the REACH Center, a US Department of Education-funded research institute, casts doubt on the program’s primary goal of considerably shifting students from public schools. The study, focusing on the 11 states with universal voucher programs – including new Hampshire - found limited success in drawing students away from traditional public education.
Though, the research did reveal a benefit for families already utilizing private and religious schools, and particularly for smaller, newly established private institutions. This benefit appears to be linked to an observed trend: private schools are leveraging the voucher program to increase tuition, often raising rates by 5-10% to match the amount of the voucher grant. This suggests the program may be driving up the cost of private education, rather than making it more accessible.
Beyond tuition increases, the EFA program is plagued by a significant oversight gap. A loophole currently allows parents to be reimbursed for educational materials, then return those items for a full refund, effectively pocketing state funds for non-educational purposes. An example cited involves a parent receiving reimbursement for an office chair for online learning, then returning the chair and keeping the money.
To address this, advocates are calling for increased transparency and accountability. A key suggestion is reinstating a requirement for the Children’s scholarship Program NH to publicly detail how EFA funds are allocated – a practice that was in place during the program’s first year. This would allow taxpayers to see precisely how their money is being spent, broken down by school type (Catholic, religious, private, homeschooling) and related expenses like books, fees, and uniforms.
Furthermore, proponents of reform argue that private institutions receiving public funds should be subject to the same level of academic accountability as public schools, which routinely face public scrutiny of their budgets and performance. The core argument is that if the program is to be taken seriously, it must demonstrably improve educational outcomes for students and ensure responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
Currently,efforts to implement these safeguards have been consistently blocked by Republicans,who initially passed the EFA program in 2021 as part of a budget maneuver after it failed to pass as standalone legislation.Critics point out that the over $100 million allocated to the program over the current two-year budget cycle could be used to bolster underfunded public schools and provide property tax relief to residents.
Ultimately, the future of the EFA program hinges on a willingness to address these concerns and prioritize accountability. Without meaningful oversight, the program risks becoming a costly and inefficient system that primarily benefits private institutions while failing to deliver on its promise of expanded educational possibility for all New Hampshire students.
Note: This piece is entirely original, based on the information provided in the source text. It re-organizes the information for a more cohesive flow, expands on key points, and uses different phrasing throughout to ensure originality.It maintains the core arguments and facts presented in the original article.
