Henniker, NH: Enrollment down, SPED costs up
- The end of childhood
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Feb 3, 2026, Concord Monitor: Special education costs, decreased enrollment discussed at Henniker school deliberative session
Special education costs and an unanticipated drop in enrollment were top of mind for the Henniker School Board as they presented their proposed budget on Monday.
The board put forward a $11.2 million budget for the upcoming school year, with a $300,000 increase over the current budget. One-third of that cost is coming from the school’s purchased services, which include an SAU-shared special education administrator position and special education contracted services.
Special education costs across the state have steadily increased since the pandemic. The state is only funding a portion of these costs, however, leaving much of the financial responsibility on towns and taxpayers. . . .
Another article presented in the meeting was to discontinue a technology equipment trust fund and move the money into a special education fund.
Board member Jason Schrock said the tech fund — with nearly $72,000 meant to supplement large expenses such as server replacements — has seldom been used since its establishment in 2007. If passed, the money would be added to the approximately $217,000 already in the special education fund.
“Seeing that trust fund not being used, it is our position that we would like to move that money to where it might be more useful,” Schrock said during Monday’s deliberative session. “Special education is an area where the costs are less and less predictable.”
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