Purpose and Plan of Study 



TT is the purpose of this study to make a partial appraisal of selected as- 

 pects of public education in New Hampshire in the interest of a sys- 

 tem which will provide a more nearly equal educational opportunity 

 for all youth. Economic variables among school districts are examined 

 along the resulting costs per pupil. Some attention is also devoted to an 

 analysis of eight areas which have lieen considering reorganization into 

 cooperative districts. The Authorized Regional Enrollment Area plan 

 proposed by the Interim Commission on Education is compared with 

 the cooperative district plan with respect to apportionment of costs 

 among the pre-existing districts. 



The State Department of Education attempts to keep the public in- 

 formed on matters pertaining to public education. This is accomplished 

 through the preparation and distribution of mimeographed material of 

 high order. Local committees could profitably supplement their studies 

 with an analysis of the Department's material to determine an appropri- 

 ate pattern for reorganization. A study of the Department's mimeograph- 

 ed material — supplemented by the census. State Tax Commission re- 

 ports, and a report of the Planning and Development Commission — 

 forms the nucleus of this study. 



The initial plan of study was to establish a procedure for analyzing 

 information necessary for local decision-making with respect to reorgan- 

 ization of school districts. This plan was based on the assumption that 

 school districts had turned down proposals for reorganization because 

 local studies had been inadequate to convince the voters of the benefits 

 to be realized. A conference with the Deputy Commissioner of Educa- 

 tion revealed two reasons why districts fail to organize cooperatives: 

 (l)fear of higher costs, and (2) reluctance to give up control of local 

 schools. An investigation of two areas which have attempted to organize 

 a cooperative district over the past 12 or more years supports the Com- 

 missioner's appraisal. Reports of local study committees were examined 

 and they appeared to be quite adequate. Some areas employed the ser- 

 vices of professional consultants whose carefully prepared comprehen- 

 sive reports are excellent, but have met with only partial success. 



ECONOMIC VARIATIONS AMONG DISTRICTS 



OWNS vary greatly in many respects, economically, socially and poli- 

 tically, but more specifically in taxable wealth and population. Were 

 it not for these variations all pupils would have equal opportunity and 

 there would be no need for state aid except that which might be initi- 



T 



