Education

N.H. Still Waiting For No Child Left Behind Flexibility

Sam Evans-Brown — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:14:01 +0000

New Hampshire will have to wait a little longer for more flexibility from the federal education law No Child Left Behind. The US Department of Education granted three more states waivers today, but New Hampshire was not on the list.

Tax Credit Ruling Likely To Head To Supreme Court

Sam Evans-Brown — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:17:59 +0000

Oral arguments were heard Friday in a lawsuit which will determine if the state’s new education tax credit is constitutional. The state argues that for the tax credit to be considered unconstitutional, the judge has to consider first if directing money through a tax credit is the same as spending money in the budget. Next the judge will have to determine if because some parents use that money to send their kids to religious schools, does that violate the state’s constitution?

Education Tax Credit To Have Its Day In Court

Sam Evans-Brown — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:13:00 +0000

A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the controversial Education Tax Credit will be heard today in Strafford County Superior Court. The law was passed last year by Republicans seeking to create more avenues for educational choice. But Democrats say it saps resources from Public schools and have targeted the law for repeal.

Dartmouth Cancels Classes In Response To Hate Speech

Liz Faiella — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:34:11 +0000

For the first time in six years, Dartmouth cancelled classes in the arts and sciences Wednesday. The College administration instead scheduled what it calls a “Day of Reflection and Understanding” after threatening messages were left for some students on an anonymous online discussion board.

Senate Unlikely To Boost University Funding

Sam Evans-Brown — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:33:22 +0000

New Hampshire’s public universities made a pitch for restored funding to the budget writers in the New Hampshire State Senate Monday, but they got a lukewarm response.

Feds O.K. SNHU's College For America

Sam Evans-Brown — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:54:36 +0000

The federal government has approved Southern New Hampshire University’s online College for America.

New England College Hopes To Lure Students With A Three Year Degree

Sheryl Rich-Kern — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:59:55 +0000

As college costs rise around the country, some small private colleges are finding a new way to attract students—by offering financial incentives. Some are offering discounts. Others are freezing tuition. But New England College in Henniker has come up with its own plan to attract a wider range of students.

Beginning this May, it’s offering a year-round academic calendar, allowing students to save money by graduating in three years instead of four.

Nature Schools Gaining Popularity In N.H.

Melanie Plenda — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:00:25 +0000

Nature preschools and forest kindergartens may sound more fun than foundational. But this nontraditional approach to early learning is gaining popularity for teaching the basics while getting kids away from screens and out into nature. And now Antioch University in Keene has begun offering a teacher education program for nature-based curricula and programs schools.

Volunteer Surrogate Parents Fill Role For Special Needs Students

Michael Brindley — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Children with special needs are required to have someone making critical decisions about what’s in the best interest of their education. But some children have no one to fill that role.

That’s where New Hampshire’s educational surrogate program comes in. But it’s need of more volunteers to fill gaps in some parts of the state.

Charter Schools Grow Despite Political Headwinds

Sam Evans-Brown — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:30:00 +0000

Today the New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a budget that doesn’t fund $2.5 million for new charter schools. If that policy stands it would be mean a de facto, two-year moratorium on charter schools. It’s a move that was met with surprise and confusion by charter school advocates. But to understand the decision takes knowing something about the long, political history of charter schools.

'Blizzard Bags' Yet To Catch On Among Most New Hampshire School Districts

Michael Brindley — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:17:15 +0000

A snow day isn’t what it used to be for some students in the Granite State. Many New Hampshire schools are adopting what are known as blizzard bag days.

The concept has been popular among the schools that use it, but the program has yet to take off statewide.

You're 8 years old, and you're excited that there's a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. Then you get a phone message.

As N.H. Drops GED, Students Urged To Complete Program

Sheryl Rich-Kern — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:33:45 +0000

This week, New Hampshire became the third state in the country to announce it will no longer use GED Testing Services for its high school equivalency exams.

Beginning in 2014 , the state is moving to Educational Testing Service, also known as ETS.

And instructors are urging the more than 1,400 adult learners in the state to finish their GED exams before the end of the year.

Nashua Students Try Composting For Battery Power

Sheryl Rich-Kern — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

A team of Nashua High School students is trying to create a bacteria-powered battery that runs off a composter. The team is one of 16 around the country that received up to 10-thousand-dollars in seed money from the Lemelson-MIT Program.

Major Texas Research Institute Joins With UNH Space And Ocean Science Program

Emily Corwin — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:01:00 +0000

Monday marks the beginning of a collaboration between UNH’s space and earth research team, and the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas.

Funding Fix For Charters Headed Toward Finish Line

Sam Evans-Brown — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:27:34 +0000

The New Hampshire House of Representatives has passed a bill that would end what has been called a moratorium on new charter schools. The bill still has a way to go before it is law, but charters in the pipeline could still open in time for next school year.