A lot has happened since I last wrote, so I have a bit of catching up to do.
We are all saddened by the tragic death of newly elected Speaker Dick Hinch from COVID-19 and are praying for Speaker Pro Temp Kim Rice’s speedy recovery from the disease. I understand there are several more representatives who are ill, one of whom was hospitalized in serious condition. At least three statehouse staff members have been infected too.
We don’t know just exactly how many of our colleagues have been sickened, as the governor and health officials will not disclose the number of positive cases of COVID-19 there are in the legislature. They are saying this is private information that cannot be shared. I’m unclear why we can know the numbers of infections in each town or in a long-term care facility but not at the statehouse. No names need be shared, just numbers. As it is now, all we have are suppositions and rampant rumors.
The legislative staff is once again working remotely from home.
The tragedy of all this is, of course, that it was completely avoidable if the public-health guidelines had been observed. The virus does not care what party you belong to.
As it turned out, Organization Day and the election of Speaker Hinch on December 2 was held outdoors on a playing field at UNH, as a safety precaution against the additional spreading of the dreaded virus. Of course, masks were not mandated.
When Democrats learned via tweet from the media the day before that at least three Republican house members had contracted the virus after attending their nominating caucus (which had been held indoors and with an open buffet, with many in attendance going maskless), and after being advised by medical doctors in our own caucus to avoid the event if we were in a high-risk category, most of us chose not to attend. Instead, we were sworn-in remotely by the governor and executive council the next day.
We are required by the constitution to meet again in joint session with the Senate on January 6. The current plan is to have us meet in our cars, in a large parking lot somewhere (we don’t know where yet). Curriers on golf carts will come around to collect our votes. In January, in New Hampshire. The carts will, I presume, have snow tires.
I am NOT making this up.
There are ways to meet remotely. Other states’ legislatures are doing it. But not here in the Granite State. Our legislator salaries are stuck in the 19th century, and so is our technology. Live free or die.
But on to other things.
Many school districts working on their next budget had a rude awakening recently, when it was learned the amount of adequacy aid coming from the state, as well as funding coming from the Feds, would be much less than expected. This is a result of changes made because of the pandemic.
The adequacy aid the state sends to school districts is determined by the number of children enrolled in their schools. It does not send aid for children who live in the district but are home schooled or go to private schools. It sends the aid for charter school students directly to the charter school. Next year’s aid is determined by last year’s numbers.
When the pandemic hit and schools were forced to go remote, and later to a hybrid model, parents had to make a choice. They could choose remote or hybrid, or to homeschool or enroll their child in one of the private schools which were open. Many chose the latter two. There has been a significant reduction in public school enrollment as a result. When schools can fully open again, it is assumed enrollment will again increase.
The amount of state aid, and the amount of federal Title I assistance, is also determined by the number of children enrolled in the free and reduced lunch programs. The more children enrolled the more money comes into the district. When schools were allowed to provide free lunches to all students, applications to this program declined. Fewer children are enrolled now than before the disruption.
These two factors combined are resulting in significant funding losses for districts. In the cities, it amounts to millions of dollars. Here in Hillsborough, the figure is close to half a million.
The problem is confounded by the fact that the budgets being worked on now are for the 21-22 school year, when hopefully the pandemic is under control and enrollment goes back to the old normal.
I don’t envy the job of school boards in dealing with this financial loss, and the tough decisions they will need to be making. Cutting programs and staff is always unpopular, but so are steep increases in property taxes.
I understand there is a bill being fast-tracked to help solve the temporary problem. If so, I will gladly co-sponsor. I hope it comes soon enough.
But the whole situation has me concerned about the future, and what will happen to our schools and our property taxes now that the Republican-controlled fiscal committee has approved the federal charter school grant. That grant, you will remember, funds the startup costs of twenty-odd new charters in the state, effectively doubling our numbers. (It does not pay to keep them running. The state, and the charter schools themselves, will be on the hook for that.)
If public school enrollment declines significantly due to increased charter enrollments, this temporary pandemic-caused reduction in state and federal aid to local public schools will become permanent. School boards and taxpayers will be forced to make some tough choices for the long haul. Our public schools, and our students, will suffer.
And there will not be a fast-tracked bill to bail them out.
I do wish for everyone Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. Remember friends and family who may be alone and be kind to one another.
We will get through this.