Edelblut statement of rejection of public charter school grant

CONCORD - Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut issued this statement following the party-line vote of the Legislative Fiscal Committee to reject the first round of funding under a federal $46 million public charter school replication grant:

“I am extremely disappointed that partisan politics prevailed today, at the expense of New Hampshire public schools.

Students choose public charter schools because they are going ‘to’ something, or are moving ‘from’ something. When they go to something, it is because the want to pursue an interest, such a STEM, or the arts, or project-based learning. When they come from something, they are leaving an environment where they have not seen success, or they have been bullied.

Families of means can make these choices any time they want. This grant was meant to give economically-disadvantaged students and at-risk students those same choices. I am disappointed that partisanship on the part of the Fiscal Committee continues to block this grant. If you care about children and if you care about New Hampshire taxpayers, you would approve this grant.”