The crucial role of public education
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation says “our educational system is the cornerstone of an educated, skilled workforce. Simply put, today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, and economic mobility and opportunity begin with a quality education.”
Our state’s public schools provide this opportunity — without them, New Hampshire communities and businesses cannot thrive.
In New Hampshire, 9 out of every 10 students attend a public school. Families choose, and trust, their local public schools to educate their children. Our public schools are the great equalizer for all and a promise to every family that opportunity is widely available for their children to grow and give back.
Although there are disparities across the state, our public schools routinely rank among the best in the nation. Our schools have been leaders in innovation. They were early and enthusiastic adopters of competency-based education and experiential learning.
Behind the success stories, however, lies an opportunity to do better. Because New Hampshire relies on local property taxes to fund education with over 70% of revenue raised coming directly from local taxpayers, communities with lower property values tend to have more difficulties resourcing their schools. And fewer resources mean fewer learning opportunities for students.
That might mean a high school is unable to hire a chemistry or calculus teacher or offer any Advanced Placement courses, which impact a student’s pathway to post-secondary opportunities. Or, it could limit the career and technical education (CTE) opportunities that are available to students. These courses provide learning experiences in specialized fields such as engineering, computer programming and building trades creating a seamless transition to the workforce and opportunities for further education and industry-credentialing.
When public schools are not fully supported, communities and businesses cannot thrive: 1) the workforce shrinks as families move away (or don’t move in) to find better educational opportunities for their children; 2) property taxes go up, and fewer community services are available; and 3) the pool of locally educated workers is less diverse and less workforce-ready.
In addition to the underfunding of our public schools, additional threats to public education have emerged: privatization efforts aimed at dismantling our schools; culture wars that prevent access to honest and just curriculum; teacher shortages; chronic disparities in opportunity, to name just a few. As Horace Mann, the “father of public education,” once noted and has been repeated by many contemporary scholars, “Public education is the great equalizer in a democratic society.” These threats not only place access to a high-quality education in jeopardy, but they chip away at the very foundation of what makes New Hampshire a great place to work, play and stay.
The voice of New Hampshire business and industry matters. It can and should be a mobilizing force in the commitment to high-quality public schools and the support of public education. Strong schools make strong students. Strong students make strong communities. Strong communities make strong businesses.
The time is now to support our public schools.
Reaching Higher NH (reachinghighernh.org) and NH School Funding Fairness Project (fairfundingnh.org) are members of New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility. Sustainability Spotlight is produced monthly for NH Business Review by New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility. To learn more about ways to advance your sustainability, visit NHBSR.org.
