Education Freedom Accounts
I am concerned with the recent article — EFA Spending Records Removed. After reading the excellent reporting from Jeremy Margolis, I learned about the Children’s Scholarship Fund of NH. This is the private non-profit contracted by the state to dole out taxpayer-funded “Education Freedom Account” money. Recently, the director of the Children’s Scholarship Fund unilaterally decided to remove spending records from public view to “protect” the public. Her justification for this? The sole testimony of a retired elementary school teacher at a public hearing in Concord.
New Hampshire property taxes have skyrocketed in the last two years. If I want to research how the state is spending tax dollars, that information should not be withheld from view based on one person’s fears.
Looking at the website — nh.scholarshipfund.org — and the list of current EFA Education service providers, I noticed a lot of out-of-state providers. Shouldn’t this money be spent in New Hampshire? I also noticed a lot of providers offering services that public school parents must pay for out of pocket. For example, the Association of Pickleball Players in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is listed on the website as an education provider. Look for yourself.
To qualify for the EFA program, a student cannot be enrolled full-time in public school. Why are families who attend private schools reimbursed for musical instruments, driver’s education, museums, and summer camp when families who attend public schools are not? Saying it is legally allowed does not make it equitable.
Governor Ayotte and the Legislature should start by fixing the unconstitutional school funding system. After that, ensure that our public universities are properly funded. Only then should we ask taxpayers whether to buy pianos for school children.
Equal access to quality public education makes America great, not jumping on the latest political bandwagon.