Sullivan County School Administrators Urge Lawmakers to Reject Open Enrollment Bill

Sullivan County school administrators urged legislators to reject House Bill 751, aligning with the New Hampshire School Administrators Association and what Seacoastonline described as “fifty-plus” New Hampshire superintendents and “hundreds more” school board members opposing the measure as of reporting on Feb. 10, 2026. NHSAA warned HB 751 “would risk overriding local decision-making” and cautioned that “without careful consideration of ‘fixed costs’ and changing enrollment dynamics, such policies could place an undue financial burden on local taxpayers.”

HB 751 would create a broad open-enrollment system allowing students to attend public schools outside their home districts with funding following the student; Seacoastonline offered the example that if a Somersworth student chose Portsmouth, Somersworth would have to send its per-pupil funding to Portsmouth. The New Hampshire Bulletin noted the bill had cleared the Senate on a fast-track pushed by Senate Republicans and was awaiting a final House vote; the Bulletin further reported that, if passed and signed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte, the bill would take effect immediately and would override open-enrollment policies adopted by voters at spring district meetings.

Local leaders cited in regional coverage framed the proposal as a threat to budgets, staffing and regional collaboration. Mark MacLean, executive director of NHSAA, told Seacoastonline the bill “usurps local decision-making” and has not “fully considered the ramifications and dynamics of changing enrollment statistics.” Dover Superintendent Christine Boston warned of fiscal strain in a state she described as last in the nation in state public education funding per pupil, saying, “If it’s not the final blow, it’s a major kick when we’re down... it definitely does not put us in a position to budget and provide equal access to all kids.”

Upper Valley and Seacoast leaders raised practical and equity concerns that mirror Sullivan County administrators’ warnings. Lebanon School Board Chairwoman Lilian Maughan told Valley News, “In general, we’ve talked about sending zero, because that protects us the most,” and said open enrollment “pits us against each other.” Hanover School Board Chairwoman Kelly McConnell emailed that Dresden Interstate School District officials were “not adding a warrant article around open enrollment at this time, as there are so many unknowns and we are awaiting further guidance from the state legislature, particularly as it pertains to the complexities of our interstate school district.”

Opponents point to the limited scope of current law as a contrast: the New Hampshire Bulletin reported that only Prospect Mountain in Alton historically had opted in under the existing open-enrollment statute, and that several school boards had recently proposed opt-ins at annual meetings to preserve the current-law ability to stop local students from leaving. Those local opt-in efforts, sources say, contributed to the Senate’s decision to fast-track the statewide bill.

Proponents argue open enrollment expands choice; drawing a national parallel, St. Louis Public Radio quoted Sen. Curtis Trent of Missouri saying, “We essentially already have open enrollment in the state... But we only have it for folks who have either relatives in the district, or have the financial means to physically move themselves to a different ZIP code.” Opponents counter with Missouri testimony reported by St. Louis Public Radio, including Mike Lodewegen of the Missouri Association of School Administrators warning of instability for school budgets and Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern tying rapid policy changes to teacher retention pressures.

The immediate procedural questions for Sullivan County and the rest of New Hampshire remain the House’s final vote schedule, the bill’s fiscal note and whether Gov. Kelly Ayotte will sign legislation that supporters say broadens choice and opponents say would usurp local control and strain district budgets and staffing ahead of February–March annual meetings.