Recently, House Education Committee Chair, Rick Ladd introduced a dangerous amendment to HB 323, which was precipitously passed by the NH House. There was NO time for a careful review by the House members, nor any opportunity for the public to comment on this proposal. It was a last minute floor amendment, on a very busy session day, when everyone was already overloaded.
As written, the amendment enables the federal government to expand its inappropriate control over New Hampshire’s public schools. It grants the NH Commissioner of Education, a completely unprecedented amount of authority over our statewide assessments. (This ought to work out well.)
Under this proposal, the Commissioner will develop a new statewide assessment program WITHOUT OVERSIGHT. Let’s say that again. WITHOUT OVERSIGHT. The Commissioner may select the grades which will be required to participate in “new” Common Core aligned PACE assessment program. (This is a newly revamped idea to try to derail the outrage over Common Core Smarter Balance Assessments by eliminating parental right to REFUSE. You know how it goes – basically, the same program just CALLED something else…). In fact, the Commissioner may selectively approve which districts will be “allowed” to administer these new assessments. (This just keeps getting better and better.)
Here is what is so BAD about HB323:
- Doesn’t allow REFUSALS or “opt outs” for parents if the assessments prove to be problematic


