About 87% of New Hampshire schools report they are fully compliant with minimum standard requirements

CONCORD, NH (July 16, 2024) — The New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED) has released its Input-Based Accountability System (IBAS) report for 2024, which highlights how public schools are demonstrating that they provide an adequate education. 
The IBAS is an electronic survey that is sent to all public schools to comply with RSA 193-E, which requires each school to self-certify pursuant to statute whether they are compliant with the Minimum Standards for Public School Approval. The survey was collected by NHED during the 2023-2024 school year. 
Overall, 87% of New Hampshire schools self-reported that they are fully compliant. Schools are able to report that they are compliant through two processes. Based on New Hampshire statute, schools are able to report compliance by certifying that they meet all IBAS requirements or are NEASC-accredited. Eighty percent of schools meet compliance through IBAS, while 7.2% achieve compliance through NEASC. About nine percent of schools report that they are partially compliant and 3.6% failed to submit compliance documentation. The full results are available here.

*NEASC stands for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. By statute, schools can demonstrate compliance through the third-party entity NEASC.

Among those schools reporting partial compliance, the minimum standards frequently referenced for noncompliance include: English/language arts and reading, health education, computer science education, digital literacy and social studies. 

Within the frequently reported noncompliance subjects, efforts have been underway in recent years to strengthen and improve these programs, including: 

• A Leaning Into Literacy initiative that offers all New Hampshire educators with free access to the Lexia LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) suite of professional learning programs designed to provide a deep knowledge of literacy and language expertise in the science of reading. This program teaches the skills needed to master the foundational and fundamentals of reading and writing instruction, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and written language. About 4,000 educators have already participated or are enrolled to participate in this coursework, which includes eligible stipends. 
• Previously, the State Board of Education adopted new standards to guide school districts in developing the required curriculum to add computer science as a core K-12 subject. More recently, a computer science and STEM position within NHED was established to oversee the computer science educator program established in RSA 200-O, with the goal of promoting broader computer science education in New Hampshire and preparing more students for employment opportunities in the field. In addition, free robotics kits have been made available for New Hampshire classrooms and a new, computer science educator recruitment campaign will launch next month.
• In March, the Governor and Executive Council approved a $1 million contract between NHED and Discovery Education to provide high quality curriculum and instructional materials for New Hampshire students and teachers to help them explore the history, heritage and principles of the New Hampshire Constitution and government it established. Discovery Education will create a digital textbook and related content supporting the civics curriculum. 

“We know that there is still work to be done to ensure that all schools are appropriately demonstrating that they are providing an adequate education and that all schools are complaint with the Minimum Standards for School Approval. This report provides transparency and insight into the efforts that New Hampshire schools are making to provide strong educational foundations and robust learning environments for our students,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner. “We are grateful that the majority of schools are fully compliant in every subject, however there is still a long way to go to meet full compliance. We will continue providing assistance to schools that are noncompliant in areas such as English language arts, health education, computer science and digital literacy, among other subjects.”
 
IBAS REPORT 2024