As I look at the state of public education funding throughout New Hampshire and, in
particular, small and rural communities, I wonder if two opposing things can’t be true at
the same time. But sometimes they can.
Can public education be asked to do more with less each year? Apparently yes. Can
the state increase requirements without adequately funding them? Apparently yes. Can
superior and state supreme courts rule that public education is significantly
underfunded and concur that funding should be a minimum of $7,356 per student while
the state only funds $4,351. Yes. Can the demands for better academic outcomes
increase every year while paying for it falls on the backs of property tax payers including
those on fixed incomes and can’t afford it. Yes.
But can cuts to public education occur every year and academic standards be increased
successfully? No. Can academic standards decrease due to lack of funding and a
community still attract new families and keep those who want the best for their kids? No.
Can property values hold or even improve if the education system is buckling from a
lack of support? No. Can a local community thrive if new young families do not move in
and existing young families consider leaving because a public education system is
doing less with less each year. In addition, New Ipswich/Greenville being trade business-centric communities, cannot flourish without community growth.
So you have to ask yourself. What kind of community do you want, not just for now, not
just for the next tax season, but for years to come. Embedded in that question is what
do you want for your children and their futures and their children’s futures? The ultimate
answer does not fall on the back of a taxpayer. Nor does it fall on the back of the local
public school district. Both are victims of inadequate system and its funding. The answer
is long-term systemic change. Short-term solutions are simply band-aids until they no
longer camouflage the bleeding. It is incumbent for our State leaders to address the root
causes which are beyond the tools and resources of small towns and communities. So
what do we, you and I, and everyone else do with this information? Therefore, I ask you
to consider all of this and to make what you believe is the right decision for your children
and the long-term sustainability for the type of community you wish to raise your families
in. But for now, the answer is not applying another band-aid by cutting funding for
public education. Nor is the answer annual local debates that pit residents and school
districts against one another. It is like the adage “two ticks fighting over who owns
the dog.” We are all in this together.
New Ipswich resident Mitch Gluck is chair of the Mascenic Regional School District board and New Ipswich’s representative to the board. The opinions stated are his own.