Republicans in New Hampshire have already submitted bills to expand the eligibility requirements for the state's Education Freedom Accounts Program. But critics say diverting more public-education dollars to private, religious and home schools is draining resources for public schools which teach the majority of children.

One bill aims to increase the eligibility cap, allowing families making 500% of the federal poverty level to receive the public funds. Another bill aims to lift the cap entirely.

Sarah Robinson, education justice campaign director for Granite State Progress, charged the real goal of the legislation is not to improve educational choices, but to dismantle the public school system.

"It is a resource that 90% of us choose to use," Robinson pointed out. "So I do believe that many of us care about this institution and want to preserve it and nurture it, and make it even better."

Supporters of school choice say it offers lower-income students learning opportunities they would not otherwise be able to afford. But Robinson pointed to pushback from places like Croydon, where residents organized a nonpartisan movement to reverse dramatic cuts to their town's education budget earlier this year.

New Hampshire's Constitution prohibits using tax dollars for schools "of any religious sect or denomination."

Education Freedom Accounts are similar to other school voucher programs nationwide, created after the U.S. Supreme Court banned school segregation in the 1950s. Vouchers allowed white students to attend selective private schools, leaving more students of color in underfunded public schools.

Robinson noted today, 90% of recipients in New Hampshire are already being home-schooled, or enrolled in private schools.

"It becomes problematic when we start to siphon these agreed upon public dollars to organizations that do not have the same level of transparency as what is required at the public school level," Robinson contended.

Private, religious and home schools do not share the same requirements for teacher licensing or accommodating students with disabilities.

The push for Education Freedom Accounts comes as many public schools face critical shortage of teachers and staff.

Robinson noted the state's "banned concepts" law, which restricts how teachers can talk about racism, sexism and other issues related to inequality, has had a chilling effect on classrooms.

"If you are not trusted with the job you have been trained to do, then for lots of folks, they question why they should remain," Robinson explained.

She said the future of Education Freedom Accounts in New Hampshire could be determined by Tuesday's election, although the majority of families have already elected to keep their children in public school.

As Connecticut's school year begins, the state is still dealing with a teacher shortage.

Almost every subject area is facing a statewide shortage and it is uncertain when school districts might see some relief. A new survey showed 97% of educators list burnout as a top concern since they have had to contend with growing class sizes and wearing many hats.

Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, said the results are a telling sign of the strain teachers face.

"We need every educator," Dias stressed. "We don't produce enough educators in our education prep programs to support the retirement and so we need every educator to stay. And so, [we're] really digging in and trying to figure out how do we look at the role's responsibility and figure out how to make this job more manageable."

Surveyed educators reported considering early retirement or leaving teaching altogether. One-third said they will leave the field in the next five years. They said better pay is the best way to address the issues, aligning salaries to reflect the level of education it takes to be a teacher. Among those surveyed, 40% reported having second jobs to cover the cost of living and to save money.

State lawmakers passed a bill to establish a standards board to review the procedure for hiring, retention and certification of teachers. The board's first report is slated to come out in January.

Amy Dowell, executive director of Education Reform Now CT, said the state's overreliance on the Practice Two exam is a barrier to teacher certification.

"It tends to be a barrier to entry for candidates who are looking to become educators who have successfully completed their educator preparation program," Dowell explained. "They have challenges completing some of these standardized tests to become educators."

She added standardized exams do not always predict how a person will perform in the classroom. While studies have echoed her sentiment, some argued licensure tests provide feedback on the quality of teacher preparation programs and their test performance could be more indicative of a person's skills in the classroom.


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Indigenous populations have long faced barriers in pursuing higher education and Minnesota's new free college tuition program could help put some of these dreams within reach.

This fall, the state launched its North Star Promise initiative, where households earning below $80,000 qualify for free tuition at state colleges and universities. Experts said limited scholarships are one of the many obstacles Native Americans encounter in the world of higher education.

Anna Sheppard, president of White Earth Tribal and Community College, does not sense the new program will lead to a big enrollment boost but for students receiving aid, it could take their college journey to greater heights.

"What I really appreciate is that they're not going to have to graduate having debt," Sheppard emphasized. "Maybe they're going to pursue a master's or doctoral, so then they don't have to worry about that."

She noted juggling student loans and other college debt often limits Indigenous populations from obtaining advanced degrees. Research from the Postsecondary National Policy Institute shows that between 2010 and 2020, there was an 18% decrease in graduate enrollment among Native Americans.

At White Earth, Sheppard noted the possibility of more students from tribal areas means they could be learning about in-demand careers and technology, such as solar energy.

"On top of that, we do have a solar array on campus, so they get to see one that's actually an operation," Sheppard explained. "Right now, that powers our extension-customized education building."

She suggested the solar classes they provide, including learning how to install panels, put the students in a better position after graduation with more projects coming on board in Minnesota. Industry leaders said they are having a harder time filling jobs, increasingly offering good pay and benefits.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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Some North Dakota community colleges and technical schools have had success when it comes to student enrollment but they have not been able to avoid challenges seen nationwide in hiring enough faculty.

The National Education Association said across the U.S., the number of faculty at two-year institutions declined 5% in the past decade, with two in three community colleges seeing declines averaging 17%.

Lisa Karch, executive vice president of academic affairs at the North Dakota State College of Science, said they have had ups and downs with staff retention, noting there were a few unfilled openings to start this academic year. She argued it is vital to have enough instructors to keep specialized class sizes smaller.

"For our labs, it really comes down to a safety issue," Karch pointed out. "Whether it's a welding lab or a diesel lab or HVAC or plumbing."

She stressed they have accelerated efforts to have succession planning with more faculty retirements expected in the near future. The school also launched a new program where existing staff get additional training support on innovation related to their course material, making their professional development demands less of a burden.

Bismarck State College, which offers a mix of two-year and four-year degree options, reports difficulty in competing with the private market.

Dan Leingang, vice president of academic affairs at the school, said certain faculty are being wooed by job opportunities too hard to pass up.

"What we're seeing is a salary differential," Leingang observed. "Especially in highly technical fields, where the industry is paying very strong wages because of the demand."

Public schools have a harder time matching such offers. But Leingang added they are taking advantage of higher enrollment numbers and reinvesting the revenue into faculty salaries and bonuses. Like the State College of Science, they are also leaning on industry leaders within the region to serve as part-time faculty to help fill gaps and ensure students get a comprehensive learning experience.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.