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HB 1571-FN-A - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
19Feb2026... 0412h
26Mar2026... 0900h
04/23/2026 1519s
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 July 2027.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.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
04/23/2026 1519s 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 July 2027. 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.
LBA
26-2852
04/24/2026
HB 1571-FN-A-
FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2026-1519s)
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.
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:
One (1) Instructional Coordinator III – Science including Engineering and technologies, and Computer Science
One (1) Instructional Coordinator III – Social Studies including civics, history, Holocaust, and genocide education
One (1) Instructional Coordinator III – Arts Education & World Languages
One (1) Instructional Coordinator III – Health, Wellness & Physical Education
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
$600,000
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
$725,000
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education