CONCORD, N.H. — A decide has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a pacesetter of considered one of New Hampshire’s academics’ unions to cease public {dollars} from being spent to fund personal colleges by way of the Education Freedom Account program, saying she has not proven that it violates the state structure.
The lawsuit was filed in Merrimack County Superior Court final 12 months. It sought an injunction to cease the voucher-like program.
Deb Howes, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Hampshire, had mentioned this system runs afoul of the structure as a result of cash from the state’s schooling belief fund is particularly put aside for public schooling and can’t be used for personal functions.
The state had moved to dismiss the case, arguing that Howes didn’t make a declare that this system was unlawful or unconstitutional.
A decide dominated Monday that Howes didn’t allege information supporting her claims. The decide additionally dominated that Howes’ problem to the state’s use of schooling belief fund cash to fund this system was moot in gentle of latest amendments to the schooling belief fund statute.
“We are pleased that the court has ruled in favor of New Hampshire’s strong and prosperous Education Freedom Account program, which now has more than 4,000 participants and continues to grow,” Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut mentioned in a press release. “The court’s decision underscores the legality of the EFA program previously approved by legislators, but more importantly allows New Hampshire students and families to find the best educational pathway available for their unique needs.”
The New Hampshire program is open to any personal college, together with spiritual colleges. The voucher-like program offers households with the identical quantity the state pays per pupil to public college districts — about $4,500 — to pay for personal college tuition or dwelling college bills.
In a press release, Howes mentioned that “we had the law on our side” as a result of it had acknowledged that state lottery funds might solely be used to fund public colleges, and the belief fund didn’t checklist vouchers as an allowable expenditure.
“But this year, the Legislature amended the statute to allow the Education Trust Fund to be used for vouchers,” she mentioned.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”