Public News Service

The University of New Hampshire joins 429 higher education institutions that have joined the FirstGen Forward Network, representing 49 states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)<br />

UNH works to make 'first gen' students feel right at home

First generation students attending the University of New Hampshire benefit from a growing trove of campus resources to ensure their success…

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported a child care staff vacancy rate of 26% in 2023, forcing some facilities to reduce capacity or close classrooms. (Adobe Stock)

NH voters find common ground on need for affordable child care

A majority of New Hampshire voters want elected officials to do more to fix the growing child care crisis, according to a new survey. More than 80% …

About one in eight voters nationwide said abortion is the most important issue this election year, according to a KFF poll. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NH Dems counter claim abortion ‘no longer a big factor’ in election

Former President Donald Trump claims abortion will be "a very small issue" for voters this November but New Hampshire Democrats disagree. Two years …

More than 40 U.S. colleges and universities now obtain 100% or more of their electricity from renewable energy sources while at least 76 schools get at least 50% of their energy from renewables, according to the Public Interest Network. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Dartmouth decarbonization plan preps students for climate-related future

Officials at Dartmouth College say a massive campus decarbonization project will serve as a real-world classroom for students interested in sustainabi…

Fewer than 30% of New Hampshire eighth-graders were proficient in math between 2019 and 2022. Studies show the lag will reduce lifetime earnings by 1.6% for 48million pandemic-era students, for a total of $900 billion in lost income. (Adobe Stock)

NH leads in child well-being but chronic absence rates lower test scores

New Hampshire ranks first in the nation for overall child well-being but trauma and pandemic-related learning loss continue to impact students…

In 2023, the number of bills nationwide targeting transgender and non-binary people tripled over the previous year, with more than 500 bills introduced. Nearly 90 of those bills were signed into law, with many targeting transgender youth in sports and schools.(Adobe Stock)

NH parents, educators urge veto of anti-LGBTQ+ bills

The New Hampshire Senate has advanced a series of bills, which opponents say will roll back protections for LGBTQ+ people. The measures ban …

The New Hampshire Senate has voted to table a bill which would have rolled back some of the protections that outlaw discrimination against transgender people in public spaces but advanced two other bills which advocates say target LGBTQ+ students. (Adobe Stock)

NH businesses, educators: anti-LGBTQ bills hurting kids, economy

Some New Hampshire businesses and educators say legislation targeting LGBTQ+ students is harming both kids and the state's economy as it faces a criti…

As of 2020, roughly 29 million eligible voters did not have a non-expired driver's license and more than 7 million lacked any other form of non-expired, government-issued photo identification, according to the nonpartisan group VoteRiders. (Adobe Stock)

NH House passes strict voter ID bill allowing registration challenges

The New Hampshire House passed a bill to eliminate any exceptions to the state's voter ID law and requires documented proof of citizenship in order to…

The starting salary of a new teacher in New Hampshire is $40,478, much less than the $56,727 average annual cost of living in the state, according to a state legislative committee examining teacher recruitment incentives. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NH lawmakers push for uncertified teachers in classrooms

New Hampshire lawmakers are considering legislation to allow part-time, uncertified teachers in the classroom. The bill would eliminate New …

Backers of an updated climate-change curriculum in New Hampshire said it should include how the crisis impacts the state today, including shortened winters and ski seasons, water quality, local agriculture and sea level rise. (Adobe Stock). <br /><br /><br />

NH youth spearhead resolution to improve students’ climate change education

New Hampshire lawmakers are requesting state education officials improve students' understanding of the climate crisis and better prepare them for a g…

At least 20 states have approved a version of a complete ban on transgender athletes playing on K-12 and collegiate sports teams. (Adobe Stock)

NH House reaffirms support for transgender 'bathroom bill'

New Hampshire lawmakers have voted to advance a so-called "bathroom bill," which opponents said will allow anti-LGBTQ discrimination. House Bill 396 …

Southern New Hampshire University provided students with emergency grants during the pandemic ranging from $300-$2,000 to cover various basic needs, including health care, mental health services, housing, food and child care. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Pandemic-era aid helped cover students’ basic needs, kept them enrolled

College students receiving extra aid to help pay for food, housing or transportation are more likely to stay in school, according to new research…

University of New Hampshire students and community members gathered last week to protest the Israeli war in Gaza and demand the Biden Administration call for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further civilian casualties. (Ahsan)

NH college students call for ceasefire as support for Dems erodes

Students at the University of New Hampshire are joining college students nationwide in demanding the Biden Administration call for an immediate Israel…

In PragerU's 2023 biennial report, the company states that young people are being indoctrinated by

Right-leaning PragerU takes root in NH public schools

Educators in New Hampshire say the state's approval of a financial literacy course by conservative nonprofit PragerU spells trouble for public schools…

Less than half of U.S. adults could name all three branches of government in a 2022 survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

NH builds students’ civics knowledge through real-world campaigns

Presidential candidates in New Hampshire may get the most attention but in fifth grade classrooms throughout the state, students are preparing to …

New Hampshire has the fourth-highest rate of breast cancer in the United States, yet more women are surviving breast cancer today than ever. (Adobe Stock)

Younger women in NH learn about risks for breast cancer

Health advocates in New Hampshire want to ensure younger women know the potential risk factors for breast cancer, the second most commoncancer among …

Civic knowledge is drastically low, with just 56% of Americans able to identify the three branches of government and nearly 20% unable to identify any, according to the Annenberg Public Policy Center. (Adobe Stock)

Bipartisan Agreement on Need for Greater Civics Education

Gov. Chris Sununu aims to inspire a revival of civics education nationwide as surveys show Americans lack a solid understanding of just how our …

The voter-turnout rate for young voters in the 2022 midterm election reached 27%, the second-highest youth turnout rate for a midterm election in the past 30 years, behind only the historic 2018 turnout of 31%. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Young People Face Greater Barriers to Voting as Turnout Increases

As youth voter turnout increases, so do the barriers these voters face to participate in elections. Republican-led legislatures - including in New …

The five New Hampshire school districts with buildings that have not had major construction since before 1970 are in districts with below-average property values, according to the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project. (Adobe Stock)

NH Public-School Building-Aid Requests Outweigh State Funds

20% of New Hampshire public-school students attend classes in buildings that have not been updated in the past 35 years, according to a new report…

Four million Americans turn age 18 every year, but fewer than half of them vote, according to The Civics Center. (Adobe Stock)

NH Voting-Rights Advocates Push for Online Registration

Lawmakers in New Hampshire are considering a bill to create an online "election information portal" to help ease some of the burdens on voters and pol…

A new report ranks New Hampshire 4th nationwide in economic well-being but child advocates say the ranking doesn't consider that the state's cost of living is 20% above the national average, putting even more children and families at risk of living in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Lack of Available Child Care Impacts NH Economy, Families

New Hampshire ranks first in the nation on measures of child well-being, according to a new report. The 2023 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

28% of LGBTQ youth say they've experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives while 14% of LGBTQ youth report being kicked out of their home or abandoned, according to the Trevor Project. (Adobe Stock)

NH House Rejects Controversial 'Parental Bill of Rights'

Advocates for the LGBTQ community are celebrating following New Hampshire's rejection of a so-called "parental bill of rights." Two Republicans cros…

The share of U.S. voters who cast ballots early, by mail or a combination of both in 2022 remained high for a midterm election with nearly a third (31.8%) casting their ballot by mail. That's up 8.6% from 2018 but down 11.2% from 2020.(Adobe Stock)

Voter Registration Rates Highest in 20 Years

Voter registration rates in the U.S. hit a record high in last year's midterm elections, according to the latest census data. Registration rates …

The total number of full-time statehouse reporters in the U.S. has fallen from 904 in 2014 to 850 in 2022, while the number of reporters covering statehouses less than full time has risen from 688 to 911, according to the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Student Reporters Fill Gaps When Full-Time Reporters Disappear

Student reporters are stepping up to fill gaps in news coverage as the number of full-time statehouse reporters continues to decline. State …

A new report found the nation's child population count fell from 74.2 million in 2010 to 73.1 million in 2020. During the same time frame, 27 states including New Hampshire saw their total child count fall. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NH Sees Significant Decline Child Population

New Hampshire experienced one of the country's greatest percentage declines in child population over the past decade, according to a new report…

Granite Staters younger than age 40 make up 26% of the state population but only 2% of state legislators, while Granite Staters age 76 and older are 11% of the population but 32% of state legislators, according to 603 Forward. (Adobe Stock)

NH Organization Invests in Young Candidates Seeking Local Elected Offices

Young people interested in running for local office in New Hampshire are learning the ins and outs of organizing a successful campaign with the help o…

Voters in the Governor Wentworth Regional School District recently passed a pro-book warrant resolution, Article 39, which prohibits spending town funds on the banning of books or other content from the Wolfeboro Public Library. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Public Education Backers Celebrate NH Local Election Wins

Public education advocates in New Hampshire say the results of recent school board elections showed families overwhelmingly support their public schoo…

At least 124 bills have been introduced nationwide this year targeting LGBTQ rights in schools and educational settings, freedom of speech and expression, and access to medically necessary health care for transgender people, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. (Adobe Stock)

Educators: NH 'Parental Bill of Rights' Endangers Students, Penalizes Teachers

Educators in New Hampshire say a proposed "parental bill of rights" before lawmakers discriminates against LGBTQ students. The legislation requires …

Members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies rally at the Capitol in Concord in opposition to a slate of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, which they say aim to criminalize members of their community.(603 Equality)

Community Members Rally Against Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills in NH

LGBTQ+ advocates rallied at the New Hampshire Statehouse this week in protest of a slate of bills which they say aim to demonize members of their comm…

The New Hampshire Peoples' Budget Coalition is calling on lawmakers to fully invest in public education and reverse investments in the state's Education Freedom Accounts, which the coalition says drains much-needed funding from public schools and downshifts costs to property taxpayers. (Adobe Stock)

Broad Coalition Urges NH Lawmakers to 'Show Love' in State Budget

A broad coalition of New Hampshire faith and community leaders is calling on state lawmakers to create a budget which serves the people. The New …

cyberbullying victims said the incidents affected their friendships, while 13% said it affected their physical health. (Adobe Stock)">

UNH Center Works to Prevent Online Violence Against Children

The University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center has teamed up with the World Health Organization to help parents learn the b…

New Hampshire has the lowest amount of state funding for public higher education, relative to personal income, of any other state. The state government paid an estimated $1.50 for public higher education per every $1,000 in personal income during fiscal year 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Call for Halt to Revisions of NH Public School Standards

Public school advocates in New Hampshire are asking state officials to stop the current revisions being made to public education standards so parents …

Around 21 million American children receive free or reduced-price lunch at school, but only half of them receive free breakfast despite being eligible, according to New Hampshire Hunger Solutions. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Say Loss of Federal Funds Means NH Kids Go Hungry

Advocates for children say up to 7,000 students in New Hampshire public schools are going hungry following the rejection of a federal program for low-…

More than three million U.S. middle- and high-school students reported current use of any tobacco product in 2022, representing approximately one in six high-school students and one in 22 middle-school students. (Adobe Photo)

Experts: Teens Want to Talk About Risks of Vaping

Today marks the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout, an effort meant to encourage those who smoke or vape to quit, especially younger …

A UNH Granite State Poll found 60% of Republicans support school vouchers, compared with 8% of Democrats and 42% of Independents. Only about 28% of

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to NH Public Schools

Republicans in New Hampshire have already submitted bills to expand the eligibility requirements for the state's Education Freedom Accounts Program…

In New Hampshire, a college student may vote either in the domicile they held before entering college, or the one they've established while attending college, and can show school electronic records to prove their residency. (Adobe Stock)

More Younger Voters Drawn to Local NH Elections

The midterm election will be the first since New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed one of the nation's strictest abortion bans, and voting rights …

The Department of Education is collecting backpacks for Granite Staters in need until Aug. 12. (Mark/Adobe Stock)

NH Education Department Holds Backpack Drive for Students In Need

The New Hampshire Department of Education is collecting new backpacks for students whose families may need some help this year getting those back-to-s…

Report: Youth Crime Way Down in Last 20 Years in NH, U.S.

New research found reports of skyrocketing youth crime are not only unfounded, but are fueling calls for stricter punishments. Data from the …

A bill before the New Hampshire General Court would require parental notification if students see a school counselor. (Adobe Stock)

NH Groups: "Parental Bill of Rights" Undermines Privacy, Harms Students

The New Hampshire Senate is holding a floor vote today on a bill they are calling the "parental bill of rights" but which advocates for LGBTQ+ young p…

Fourteen states and the District of Columbia currently have school voucher programs. (sveta/Adobe Stock)

NH Parents, Public School Advocates Oppose New Voucher Bill

A bill in New Hampshire would allow local communities to opt into financing education for children who attend private schools or homeschooling…

Advocates for children and families say the Build Back Better Act would improve Medicaid and CHIP, the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (Evgeniy Kalinovskiy/Adobe Stock)

Report: Build Back Better Would Help NH Children, Families

CONCORD, N.H. -- Health advocates are pressing the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act, after it cleared the House last month. It would …

Nationally, one in four young people who age out of the foster system experience homelessness within four years. (motortion/Adobe Stock)

Groups: Don't Leave Young People Behind in Homeless Services

CONCORD, N.H. -- As National Youth Homelessness Awareness Month comes to a close, groups will continue working to identify barriers for young people …

More than 40% of parents said they would take their kids to the first available place to get their vaccines, according to a survey by Seacoast and Strafford County Public Health Networks. (tilialucida/Adobe Stock)

Groups Work to Get Word Out About Vaccine Rollout for Younger Kids

CONCORD, N.H. -- With children ages 5-11 now approved to receive the Pfizer vaccine, groups in New Hampshire are working to get accurate information …

New Hampshire's Lebanon School District, facing pressure to do away with its school resource officer position, has decided to keep it for now while an outside firm studies equity and race issues in the city's schools. (Michael Ireland/Adobe Stock)

Report: Fund Counselors, Mental-Health Support, Not Police in Schools

CONCORD, N.H. -- With the new school year in full swing, a new report from The Sentencing Project outlines key steps New Hampshire and other states …

In 2019, 24% of New Hampshire children lived in households with high housing-cost burdens, down from 39% in 2010. (zilvergolf/Adobe Stock)

NH Ranks High in Child Well-Being, But Pandemic May Disrupt Gains

CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire ranks in the top 10 for overall child wellbeing, but advocates for children and families say that doesn't diminish the …

Nationwide, one-third of all Pell Grant recipients attend community colleges. (Wikimedia Commons)

No-Cost Community College Course for NH High School Grads

CONCORD, N.H. - Community colleges have helped drive economic recovery in past times of hardship, and this year's New Hampshire high school graduates …

The American Rescue Plan would increase the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per month to $3,000, with an additional $600 for children younger than age 6. (Ekaterina Pokrovsky/Adobe Stock)

NH Children's Advocates Urge Swift Passage of American Rescue Plan

CONCORD, N.H. -- As New Hampshire families struggle to recover from the pandemic's economic fallout, advocates for children and families say quick …

More than three quarters of college graduates in New Hampshire have student loan debt, nearly 25% more than the national average. (terovesalainen/Adobe Stock)

NH Borrowers Call for Student-Loan Forgiveness

CONCORD, N.H. -- Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion in student-loan debt, and advocates for borrowers are calling on President Joe Biden and …

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