New Hampshire House Passes School Choice Bill

There is a potential sign of good things to come for the Croydon School District in its ongoing battle with the state regarding school choice. The New Hampshire House of Representatives approved HB (House Bill) 1637 Wednesday afternoon, which would allow districts without schools containing certain grades to send students to non-religious private schools.

The Croydon School District has been entangled in a battle with the state’s Department of Education regarding its current practice of sending four students – ranging in grades four through eight – to the nearby Newport Montessori School.

The state’s attorney general’s office filed a cease and desist order for Croydon to immediately stop the practice earlier this fall, though the district won an injunction in November to temporarily continue. The district is still waiting for a decision based on the merits of the law that will decide if the practice can continue next year.

The bill passed the House by a 208-to-143 margin, and will now head to the senate for approval.