HB 1571-FN-A - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
19Feb2026... 0412h
26Mar2026... 0900h
2026 SESSION
26-2852
12/06
HOUSE BILL 1571-FN-A
AN ACT requiring the department of education to review statewide academic standards and curricula.
SPONSORS: Rep. Noble, Hills. 2; Rep. Thibault, Merr. 25; Rep. Peternel, Carr. 6; Rep. Freeman, Belk. 8; Rep. Korzen, Coos 7; Rep. Belcher, Carr. 4
COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department of education to revise the statewide academic standards decennially beginning in June 2026.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19Feb2026... 0412h
26Mar2026... 0900h 26-2852
12/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT requiring the department of education to review statewide academic standards and curricula.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Educational Content of an Adequate Education; Decennial Revision Required. Amend RSA 193-E:2-a by inserting after paragraph II-a the following new paragraph:
II-b. The statewide academic standards, as defined in RSA 193-E:2-a, VI(b), shall be reviewed for possible revision every 10 years, beginning in June 2026. The department of education shall initiate a revision of these standards, as well as the current science standards, to ensure alignment with high-quality criteria that emphasize rigor, clarity, and relevance. The revised standards shall reflect a coherent progression of knowledge, skills, and competencies across grade levels. The development process shall include meaningful participation by students, parents, and educators, consistent with the intent of RSA 193-C:1, III.
2 New Subparagraph; Educational Content of an Adequate Education; Curriculum and Materials List Added. Amend RSA 193-E:2-a, V by inserting after subparagraph (b) the following new subparagraphs:
(c) The department shall make available a list of high quality curriculum and instructional materials based upon the revised standards from which school districts may select new curriculum and materials.
(d) The state shall revise the statewide education improvement and assessment program, as established in RSA 193-C, to align with the revised standards developed pursuant to RSA 193-E:2-a, II-b.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027.
26-2852
04/06/2026
HB 1571-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-0900h)
AN ACT requiring the department of education to review statewide academic standards and curricula.
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
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Estimated State Impact | |||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Revenue Fund(s) | None | ||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $0 | $1,792,000 | $1,121,000-$1,221,000 | |
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | ||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Funding Source(s) | None | ||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | |||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill, effective July 1, 2027, requires the Department of Education to review statewide academic standards for possible revision every 10 years, including revising current science standards to ensure greater rigor, clarity, relevance, and progression of knowledge across grade levels. The bill also requires the Department to make available a list of high-quality curriculum and instructional materials aligned with the revised standards (from which districts may choose) and to update the statewide education improvement and assessment program to align with the revised standards.
To estimate the fiscal impact of this bill, the Department reviewed prior costs associated with statewide academic standards revisions, prevailing market rates for contracted content-area experts, and typical expenditures related to stakeholder engagement, publication and dissemination, assessment alignment, and high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) review and vetting. The Department also considered anticipated costs associated with hiring or filling Department staff positions necessary to support this work. Estimated costs were assigned by fiscal year based on when required activities would reasonably occur during implementation, recognizing that these activities will span the 10-year revision cycle.
The Department estimates it would need the following positions to implement this bill:
Fiscal Year | Cost per Position | Total Cost |
FY 2028 | $123,000 | $492,000 |
FY 2029 | $124,000 | $496,000 |
This bill provides neither authorization nor appropriation for positions.
In addition to the personnel costs above, the Department has identified the following costs relative to this bill:
FY 2028 | ||
Cost Category | Description | Estimated Cost |
Contracted subject-matter experts | Full standards revision across all content areas, including coherence, vertical alignment, disciplinary literacy, and early foundational skills | $650,000 |
HQIM criteria & review framework | Develop NH-aligned HQIM rubrics, adoption processes, and cross-walks to revised standards | $150,000 |
Stakeholder engagement & facilitation | Educator advisory groups, regional forums, family engagement, translation services, public hearings | $125,000 |
Reviewer training & stipends | Training for 250–300 reviewers; stipends for educators on HQIM and standards review panels | $120,000 |
Drafting, editing, publication preparation | Final editing, accessibility remediation, graphic/layout design, digital repository development | $75,000 |
Internal coordination & project management | 1.0 FTE across Governance, Assessment, & Academics for multi-content coordination | $180,000 |
FY 2028 Total | $1,300,000 | |
FY 2029 | ||
Cost Category | Description | Estimated Cost |
Assessment alignment (RSA 193-C) | Test blueprint revisions, item development, validation, psychometrics, vendor contract modifications | $500,000 to |
Additional stakeholder review | Final hearings, public comment integration, advisory review | $40,000 |
Final publication and dissemination | Digital/print publication, distribution, and required district guidance | $35,000 |
Technical assistance for districts | Transition guidance, webinars, HQIM alignment support | $50,000 |
FY 2029 Total | $625,000 to | |
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Feb. 10, 2026 | 2026-0412h |
| March 19, 2026 | 2026-0900h |
| April 14, 2026 | 2026-1519s |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 29, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 4, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 4, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
| March 17, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| March 17, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
| April 7, 2026 | Senate | Hearing |
| April 7, 2026 | Senate | Hearing |
| Senate | Floor Vote |
April 15, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1519s, 04/23/2026, Vote 3-1; SC 15
April 15, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1519s; Vote 5-0; CC
April 2, 2026: Hearing: 04/07/2026, Room Map Room, SL, 09:25 am; SC 13
March 31, 2026: Hearing: 04/07/2026, Room Map Room, SL, 09:25 am; SC 13
March 30, 2026: Introduced 03/26/2026 and Referred to Education; SJ 7
March 26, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0900h: MA VV 03/26/2026 HJ 9
March 26, 2026: Amendment # 2026-0900h (NT): AA VV 03/26/2026 HJ 9
March 19, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0900h (NT) 03/17/2026 (Vote 25-0; RC)
March 13, 2026: Executive Session: 03/17/2026 10:00 am GP 230
Feb. 24, 2026: Division II Work Session: 03/09/2026 10:00 am GP 234
Feb. 19, 2026: Referred to Finance 02/19/2026 HJ 5
Feb. 19, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0412h: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5
Feb. 19, 2026: Amendment # 2026-0412h: AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5
Feb. 10, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0412h 02/04/2026 (Vote 16-1; CC) HC 7 P. 30
Feb. 10, 2026: Executive Session: 02/04/2026 10:00 am GP 230
Jan. 22, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/29/2026 10:00 am GP 230
Dec. 10, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 1 P. 26