Insights & Analysis

There are two sources of public domain data that allow us to assess SAU39 Academic Proficiency: New Hampshire Department of Education (NH-DOE) Provides proficiency data associated with all NH Districts, Schools, and Grades NWEA Provides proficiency data and performance projections associated with the tens of thousands of NWEA subscriber Districts, Schools, and Grades across the US. Following is a summary of NH-DOE Reading (ELA) and Math Proficiency data … To better see the di

Warrant articles paid for with unassigned fund balance have a tax impact.  They are paid for with tax dollars.  The warrant articles state that no NEW taxation is required.  The warrant articles do not state that no taxation is required.  Taxation IS required.  The school district has over-taxed you and is going to keep those tax dollars to pay for items in warrant articles funded with unassigned fund balance.  The voters can vote in favor of this, or they can vote against it

Academic Proficiency There are two sources of public domain data that allow us to assess SAU39 Academic Proficiency: New Hampshire Department of Education (NH-DOE) Provides proficiency data associated with all NH Districts, Schools, and Grades NWEA Provides proficiency data and performance projections associated with the tens of thousands of NWEA subscriber Districts, Schools, and Grades across the US. Following is a summary of NH-DOE Reading (ELA) and Math Proficiency data …

School District Proposed Budgets Should NOT Exceed the Default Budget Calculation   In FY23 (school year 2022- 2023), the Amherst School District (ASD) was operating under a default budget.  While some may think that this must have been a financial hardship for the district, it was not.  In fact, ASD ended up with $791,175 more than it needed, even in a default budget year.    Add to this the $586,054 in excess revenue that the district collected, and you get a FY23 unassigne

To be clear, all school buildings are assets of the community to be used for the purposes of providing public education.  We elect school boards to govern the school districts.  We want to and should trust school boards to make honest and reasonable decisions as to the best possible educational outcomes. The Joint Facilities Advisory Committee (i.e., JFAC) or Amherst Building and Grounds Subcommittee (i.e., B&G) has advised the Amherst School Board (i.e., ASB) to make yet a t

Over the last 6 years, the Amherst School Board (ASB) and the Joint Facilities Advisory Committee (JFAC) have been making a case to build one of the largest elementary school buildings in New Hampshire.  One of the arguments is that the current Wilkins School building is too crowded.  The decisions that have created this apparent overcrowding should be examined, such that it does not happen again.  But when it comes to needing space, most community members look to the Souhega

Once upon a time, Amherst School District Schools had academic outcomes that were the envy of other schools.  Now, not so much.  Observe the following table of the NH SAS performance of the Amherst School District since 2009. Observe the NH SAS performance of 8th grade students since 2008 in the following graph. This is shameful at best.  There are many reasons for this, and a lot of blame to go around. Has the ASB demonstrated they have the ability to own their missteps, foc

> Why is it that Hollis-Brookline Schools are not suffering from leaky roofs, inadequate Heating Cooling and ventilation and are not in a state of general disrepair? … AND their cost to educate kids is significantly less than ours?   I keep hearing from the ASD Board that our school building/s are at end-of-life; they need to be replaced… > Hollis School buildings are as old or older than the Amherst Schools we’re considering replacing… Hollis -Brookline Schools (SAU41) Amher

Despite the optimistic hopes that SAU39 enrollment will increase, the reality is that enrollments have been and are trending downward.  Observe the following table for enrollments, excluding pre-K, of the Amherst School District. Disclosures: Enrollments for Clark and Wilkins Schools prior to 2010 were reported to the NH DOE as separate.  Also, prior to 2010, there were about 75% of the 1st graders were kept at the Clark School.  The above chart takes that into consideration

All Warrant Articles Should be Funded with New Taxation rather than with Unassigned Fund Balance   Voters are seeing numerous school district warrant articles that are being funded with unassigned fund balance.  Most of these articles are for contributions to trust funds for items related to maintenance, special education, technology, etc.  While it makes sense to have these trust funds in place and to properly fund them, the funds should be coming from new taxation, and not

The continued failure of Amherst School Board (ASB) to seriously encourage a strategic plan and proven instructional methodologies for better educational outcomes should certainly be a major concern.  However, over the last 8 years, the ASB has: Expanded to full-day kindergarten without the support of the voters and without contemplating or sharing the future impact on space, resources, and cost, and against the will of the voters. Expanded to Prekindergarten without the supp