HB68: making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

HB 68 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

20Mar2025... 0103h

2025 SESSION

25-0053

02/05

HOUSE BILL 68

AN ACT making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

SPONSORS: Rep. Layon, Rock. 13; Rep. D. McGuire, Merr. 14; Rep. D. Thomas, Rock. 16; Rep. J. Aron, Sull. 4; Rep. Cordelli, Carr. 7; Rep. Thibault, Merr. 25; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18

COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration 

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ANALYSIS

This bill requires superintendents to approve student requests for reassignment within the same school district, and requires superintendents to provide written reasons to parents for denials of requests.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

20Mar2025... 0103h 25-0053

02/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Change of School or Assignment; Best Interest of Student. Amend RSA 193:3, I(c) to read as follows:

(c) Prior to or at such meeting, the parent or guardian shall make a specific request that the student be re-assigned by the school board to another public school, public academy, or an approved private school within the district or to a public school, public academy, or an approved private school in another district. If such request is made to re-assign the student to another public school or public academy within the school district, the superintendent shall approve the request unless it fails to meet the requirements under this section.

2 Change of School or Assignment; Finding Not in Best Interest. Amend RSA 193:3, I(i) to read as follows:

(i) If the superintendent does not find that it is in the best interest of the student to change the student's school or assignment, the parent or guardian may request a hearing with the school board of residence to determine if the student is experiencing a manifest educational hardship under paragraph II. Within 10 days following such decision, the superintendent shall provide a written report to the parent or guardian providing the reasons why the request cannot be accommodated.

3 New Paragraph; Failure to Meet Requirements. Amend RSA 193:3 by inserting after paragraph I the following new paragraph:

I-a. If the superintendent fails to meet any requirements under this section, the request shall be approved.

4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.