O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s Your Turn.
Commissioner Edelblut’s appearance at the latest Manchester Board of School Committee (MBOSC) was appreciated, but solidified my concerns about how the proposed changes to the Ed 306 rules will live on in perpetuity. It is clear that the State Board of Education (BOE) values freedom and choice even above things like accountability and equity. When asked multiple times by Board Members how the State BOE will enforce and ensure that school districts do not take advantage of the loosened minimum requirements, Commissioner Edelblut spun answers ranging from relying on local government to stating it’s not his “job” to define an adequate education—yet, here we are discussing exactly that.
Federal Law is meant to inform and regulate State Law—which is then meant to inform and regulate Local Policy (such as, the policy of a local school district). The Commissioner of the Department of Education (in NH) is meant to lead and oversee the “organizational goals of the department and represents the public interest in the administration of the functions of the department of education (https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/commissioner/about)”—which is political gibberish for, developing educational standards that meet Federal requirements and ensuring they are followed on a local level. It is, in fact, Commissioner Edelblut’s job to develop baseline standards for public education. Therein lies the trouble.
Commissioner Edelblut’s BOE Administrative Rules (Ed 306) revisions are the kind of baseline I would expect at a Federal level—not a State one. Broad and reliant on local government to make overarching goals related what defines success and how that is achieved, these Ed 306 rule revisions lack structure and accountability needed at a local level for proper implementation.
Am I concerned that Manchester will take advantage of these rules should they be adopted? Not necessarily. Not right now, anyways. This Board and this Manchester School District Administration are in agreement that high standards must be set, but this conversation around the Ed 306 rules is about perpetuity. As the Commissioner himself noted, these rules are reviewed every ten years. Which means, unless something happens that warrants some sort of interim change (if that’s even procedurally possible), these revisions would be the standard until 2034. That’s quite a few election cycles. Who knows what that will bring? We need to ensure the standard is clearly set so accountability can be maintained long after we are all out of office. The Ed 306 rules are the tool to accomplish that goal.
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Jessica Spillers represents Ward 8 on the Manchester Board of School Committee.