Special Board of Education Meeting | 10-14-26

The Concord School District Board of Education held a special meeting on October 14, 2026, to discuss HB 1,300 and the November 3 ballot question proposing a 4% property-tax growth cap and a 6% cap on central-office spending. Staff said the district’s central-office costs currently equal about 3.55% of its budget ($3,017,841), or about 3.9% if New Hampshire Retirement costs are included. The presentation also cited declining state adequacy funding, rising special-education costs, and prior budget reductions of about $3.85 million, including 45 positions. Staff estimated that the property-tax cap could limit revenue by about $3.07 million and, based on the prior budget, require an additional $6.3 million in cuts, potentially affecting instruction and student services.

After a nonpublic session to consider legal advice, the board approved unanimously an amended statement urging voters to vote no on the ballot question. The statement raised concerns about ballot wording and voting eligibility in Concord Wards 1 and 2, the impact of caps on legally required services, and state education funding obligations; the superintendent was asked to distribute it to the media. No procurement activity, contract awards, or purchasing decisions were identified.