The Constitution of the State of New Hampshire Part II, Article 83, which states, “it shall be the duty of the legislators and magistrates, in all future periods of this government, to cherish the interest of literature and the sciences, and all seminaries and public schools”. This article emphasizes the importance of knowledge and learning for the preservation of a free government and the promotion of educational opportunities throughout the state.
The current form of education is that the state is made up of hundreds of “school districts”. Thornton Central School is a school district and educates K-8. The Plymouth Regional High School is a school district and about 100 of our kids go there. Because they are funded by taxes, school boards are elected by the people in that district to represent them. So, school boards are accountable to the people.
IMPORTANT: A school district is a separate government entity from the Town of Thornton. Each has their own annual meeting where votes on the budget happen. So, we have three government entities in our town: the town operations, the Thornton Central School, and the Plymouth Regional High School districts. The only place they come together is in collecting taxes. The town aggregates all the required budgets from these three entities (plus our county government and a required amount to be collected for state education) and collects those taxes and distributes them to each entity.
Terms to know: If you read the laws of the state of New Hampshire (referred to as “RSAs”, you will see two terms: “governing bodies” and “legislative bodies”. Governing bodies are the board of selectmen and the school board; legislative bodies are the people fo the town who “legislate” with their vote.
In New Hampshire, school boards have several key responsibilities. School boards are primarily responsible for drafting an annual school budget and creating school policy. Additionally, they have the power to determine policy on various issues such as curriculum, dress codes, homework, and disciplinary decisions. It is important to note that all school board members in New Hampshire are elected officials, with the exception of interim members who may be appointed to fill a position temporarily. Furthermore, the New Hampshire State Board of Education provides leadership, support, and oversight of the state’s education system to ensure that every student develops the skills and knowledge to succeed in life 3 Additionally, the New Hampshire Administrative Code outlines substantive duties of school boards, which include adopting a teacher performance evaluation system with the involvement of teachers and principals. School boards in New Hampshire play a crucial role in shaping the educational environment by making policy decisions and managing the budget, with a focus on ensuring the success of every student.
Because it would be unwieldy and inefficient for each small town to pay for and have all the people and expertise necessary to run a school or school system, the concept of the “School Administrative Unit” (SAU) was formed. Most SAUs are comprised of many school districts. The SAU is headed by a Superintendent and staff. It’s important to note that the Superintendent and staff work for the school board. The school board typically delegates everything related to the schools, including facilities, business offices and academics.
Each school board shall:
(a) Adopt policies necessary and desirable to control and effectuate the recruitment, employment, evaluation and dismissal of teachers and other employees and may delegate authority to the superintendent of schools to carry out the provisions of such policies provided that no teacher shall be employed who is not certified or who has not been nominated by the superintendent of schools and elected by the school board;
b) Adopt policies necessary and desirable to control and effectuate the purchase of equipment, supplies, or services and may delegate to the superintendent of schools the authority to make financial commitments in accordance with such policy;
(c) Provide, through documented planning and public meetings and quorum votes, accommodation for all pupils in approved schools or other facilities in accordance with state law;
(d) Provide required transportation of students consistent with these rules and provide that all school buildings and other learning environments be maintained in a manner consistent with standards of health and safety as required by these rules;
(e) Prepare an annual budget in accordance with RSA 32 and comply with all federal and state laws and rules;
(f) Hold meetings for the transaction of business at least once in 2 months and require the attendance of the superintendent or designee. The board shall cause a written record to be kept of each meeting in accordance with RSA 91-A;
(g) In consultation with the superintendent and in accordance with statutes and rules of the state board of education, determine the educational goals of the district, develop long-range plans and identify measurable and attainable short-term objectives. The school board shall
require the implementation of educational programs designed to reflect the goals and objectives and, further, the school board shall review such programs and make public the results of such investigation;
(h) Exercise all powers and perform all duties vested in and imposed upon the school board by law or rules of the state board;
(i) Adopt a rule to ensure that there shall be no unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, creed, color, marital status, national origin, or disability in educational programs or activities consistent with local standards which may be stricter in specific areas than the broader statewide standards;
(j) Establish a policy on sexual harassment, written in age appropriate language and published and available in written form to all those who must comply, which includes, at a minimum, the elements specified below:
(1) A statement that sexual harassment is against the law and against school district policy;
(2) A definition of sexual harassment with examples of actions that might constitute sexual harassment;
(3) The names and roles of all persons involved in implementing the procedures;
(4) A description of the process so all parties know what to expect, including time frames and deadlines for investigation and resolution of complaints;
(5) A prohibition against retaliation toward anyone involved in a complaint;
(6) A description of possible penalties including termination;
(7) A requirement that a written factual report be produced regardless of the outcome of the investigation;
(8) At least one level of appeal of the investigators recommendation; and
(9) A clear statement that someone can bypass the internal process and proceed directly to the New Hampshire commission on human rights, with address and phone number, or office of civil rights, with address and phone number; and
(k) Annually evaluate the superintendent based on written criteria established by the school board (s)/SAU board.
(l) Adopt a teacher performance evaluation system, with the involvement of teachers and principals, for use in the school district, pursuant to RSA 189:1-a,III.
N.H. Code Admin. R. Ed 303.01