Concerns Mount Over Mismanagement, Misconduct in New Hampshire Public Schools

CONCORD — A series of recent controversies is raising alarm over the state of New Hampshire’s public schools, with parents, teachers and lawmakers citing fiscal mismanagement, misconduct, and declining student outcomes.

State Rep. Kristin Noble, R-Bedford, criticized administrators for “failure after failure stemming from egregious mismanagement,” arguing that schools are putting “students and teachers second.” She pointed to budget problems, operational breakdowns, and falling academic performance as reasons parents are increasingly turning to the state’s Education Freedom Account program and other alternatives.

The criticism comes amid a string of high-profile incidents:

• A Pinkerton Academy student filed a sexual assault lawsuit against the school and a former security guard.— In Claremont, the school board committee chair called for criminal investigations into what was described as “blatant fiscal mismanagement.”

• A Claremont elementary school faces potential closure over failures to deliver required special education services.

• A Hooksett schools paraprofessional was arrested on 12 counts of child pornography.

• Claremont curriculum coordinator Richard Elliott resigned after documents revealed he previously engaged in sexual harassment at Fall Mountain Regional High School in Langdon.

• Claremont business administrator Mary Henry, previously removed from posts at Fall Mountain and Hillsboro-Deering following audit concerns, remains on paid leave, collecting a $135,393 salary.

• A former director of athletics in the Governor Wentworth School District reported low staff morale, high turnover, dysfunction and intimidation under the district’s current superintendent.

• National data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that high school seniors posted the worst reading scores since 1992 and the lowest math scores since 2005.

Critics say the combination of administrative instability and poor performance underscores systemic problems across districts. “Student proficiency and academic achievement are suffering because of administrators’ inability to deliver in even the most basic functions of their job,” Noble said.

Lawmakers have signaled that if these problems persist, major reforms may be considered to restore confidence in the state’s public education system.