Policy Blog NH

The marginal costs of education

The issue of tax credits for private schools is now being debated in the Legislature, with several new bills moving through the State House.

One key question in the debate is: what are the costs or educating a single child, and how do those costs change when that child (or several children) leave a public school? As part of this discussion, the Center was asked to help calculate the marginal costs of public education, as a way of estimating the potential financial impact of such legislation. Our conclusion is that the financial impact of the proposed tax credits would vary considerably depending on several factors, including the size of the school, desired student-teacher ratios, and the magnitude of the changes in public school enrollment that followed the implementation of the legislation in question.

Our full response follows.

A regional approach to policymaking?

New Hampshire's traditions of strong local control and town-based governance are deeply rooted in the state's politics and culture. But we at the Center have lately been thinking of ways that more cross-border, regional approaches might improve decision-making across the state.

An in-depth look at crime in New Hampshire

New Hampshire has not published a comprehensive report of crime statistics since 1993. The Center's latest publication (which you can find here) is the first to meet the need of criminal justice professionals, researchers, and policymakers in understanding crime in New Hampshire by examining recent trends in criminal activity.

The report includes detailed crime statistics for the state's largest communities, compares New Hampshire's crime trends to those of other New England states, and examines the link between crime rates and state corrections policy.

Update on gambling: Movement in Massachusetts

It may be NH Primary Day, but that doesn't mean state policy questions are taking the day off.

The New Hampshire House is set to vote soon on the latest proposal to legalize casinos. Gov. Lynch has promised to veto any bills that allows expanded gambling, but the current bill has earned the support of House leadership. In addition, the recent decision by Massachusetts lawmakers to legalize casinos in that state has raised the stakes in New Hampshire's gambling debate.