Article 8:
Open Enrollment
Warrant Article Language
Shall the Souhegan Cooperative School District adopt an open enrollment school program, designating Souhegan High School as open enrollment school pursuant to NH RSA 194-D, for the purpose of enabling the district to admit non-resident students to Souhegan High School, with one hundred percent (100%) of its eligible resident pupils permitted to attend Souhegan High School and zero percent (0%) of its resident pupils permitted to attend open enrollment schools located outside of the District, and further, to limit the number of non-resident pupils who may attend Souhegan High School under the provisions of RSA 194-D to no more than two percent (2%) of the total enrollment in the Souhegan Cooperative School District? Majority vote required.
Recommended by the Souhegan Cooperative School Board (6-1)
Recommended by the Souhegan Cooperative School District Advisory Finance Committee (6-1)
BOARD EXPLANATION
In the fall of 2025, the State Supreme Court issued a decision in an open enrollment case between Pittsfield School District and Prospect Mountain school district. Prospect Mountain became an open enrollment district by presenting a warrant article to their voter which passed. When a student from Pittsfield school district decided to attend Prospect Mountain through open enrollment, Pittsfield school district was required to pay 80% of their cost per pupil to Prospect Mountain. This court decision exposed all school districts who are not open enrollment schools to potentially be liable to pay 80% of their CPP to another school district who is an open enrollment school.
The RSA states that a school district that becomes an open enrollment school can decide to allow 0% – 100% of students in their district to leave or to accept into the school district.
We believe it to be prudent to add our own warrant article about becoming an open enrollment district. This would allow us to make our own decision of 0% of students being allowed to leave under the open enrollment provisions and we would accept up to 2% of current ADM (Average Daily Membership) into Souhegan High School through this provision. If we stay silent, our taxpayers could be “on the hook” for 80% of our Souhegan cost per pupil being paid to other districts for each student that may choose another open enrollment school.
SOUHEGAN ADVISORY FINANCE COMMITTEE COMMENTS
The vote of the SAFC on Article 8 was 6 in favor to 1 opposed. The issue around being designated as an Open Enrollment School is complicated and will require the Board to communicate clearly to the public why a yes vote is needed to protect Souhegan’s ability to manage the number of students going out and coming in and the financial implications that result. Our greatest concern is that the voters will not understand the need to vote yes because they won’t fully understand why this is being put forth.
The companion Article 9 was actually suggested by the SAFC to make sure there were funds available outside the budget to cover unanticipated tuition obligations to other schools that would occur should Article 8 fail. The vote on Article 9 was 7 to 0 in favor.
EXPLANATION VIDEO
VOICE OF THE VOTER
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