New Hampshire has long prided itself on local control. Town meetings still draw crowds in March, selectboards answer directly to voters, and decisions about schools have historically stayed close to the families they serve. So it should surprise no one that the Granite State has emerged as a national leader in school choice — the idea that parents, not zip codes, should determine where and how children learn.
The centerpiece of that movement is the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, signed into law in 2021 and expanded multiple times since. What started as a modest initiative for lower-income families has grown into one of the most closely watched education experiments in the country.
What Are Education Freedom Accounts?
The EFA program allows eligible New Hampshire families to direct a portion of state per-pupil funding — roughly $4,700 per student in the 2025-2026 school year — into an account they can spend on approved educational expenses. Those expenses include private school tuition, homeschool curricula, tutoring, educational therapy, and even certain technology and transportation costs.
Administered by the Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire, the program initially targeted families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level. Legislative expansions in 2023 and 2025 raised the income threshold significantly, and current proposals under consideration in Concord would open the program to all New Hampshire families regardless of income.
As of spring 2026, more than 5,000 students across the state participate in the EFA program. That number has roughly doubled every two years since launch.
Why New Hampshire Became a School Choice Leader
Several factors made New Hampshire fertile ground for this kind of reform.
Local control tradition. New Hampshire’s decentralized approach to governance extends naturally to education. The state has no income tax and no sales tax, which means education funding has always involved creative problem-solving. The EFA program fits neatly into that framework — it does not raise taxes but instead redirects existing per-pupil allocations.
Small, diverse school districts. The state’s 234 school districts range from tiny single-school towns in the North Country to larger systems in Manchester and Nashua. Rural families in particular have embraced EFAs as a way to access educational options that geography otherwise denies them. A family in Pittsburg or Errol may be hours from the nearest alternative school, but EFA funds can cover online programs, specialized tutoring, or even transportation to a school in a neighboring district.
Legislative momentum. New Hampshire’s legislature — the largest state legislative body in the country with 400 House members — has seen growing bipartisan interest in educational flexibility. While school choice remains more popular among Republican legislators, a handful of Democrats from rural districts have supported expansions, citing constituent demand.
How the Program Actually Works
The enrollment process is straightforward. Families apply through the Children’s Scholarship Fund NH, verify their income eligibility, and receive funds loaded onto a restricted-use debit card each quarter. Expenses must be pre-approved and fall within defined categories. The state audits a random sample of accounts annually, and families who misuse funds can be removed from the program and required to repay.
Approved uses include:
- Private school tuition and fees
- Homeschool curricula and textbooks
- Online learning programs
- Educational therapy and special needs services
- Tutoring from licensed providers
- Standardized testing fees
- Transportation to school (up to a cap)
Families can roll over unused funds from year to year, which incentivizes careful spending. Some families combine EFA funds with scholarships from private schools, effectively covering most or all of tuition costs at institutions that would otherwise be out of reach.
The Debate: Supporters and Critics
Supporters of school choice in New Hampshire point to tangible results. Satisfaction surveys conducted by the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy show that more than 85% of EFA families report being “very satisfied” with the program. Many cite improved academic outcomes, better fit for children with learning differences, and relief from bullying situations as primary reasons for participating.
“We tried three different public schools before finding a small private school through the EFA program that finally understood our son’s dyslexia,” one Concord-area parent told the New Hampshire Review. “The public schools weren’t bad — they just didn’t have the resources for what he needed.”
Critics, however, raise serious concerns. The New Hampshire School Boards Association has warned that diverting per-pupil funds away from public schools threatens the financial stability of smaller districts, where even a handful of departing students can force painful budget cuts. Teachers’ unions argue that private schools receiving EFA funds face less accountability than public schools — they are not required to administer the same standardized tests, follow the same curriculum standards, or employ licensed teachers.
There is also the question of scale. As the program expands beyond low-income families, fiscal analysts in Concord have flagged the potential cost. If even 10% of New Hampshire’s roughly 170,000 K-12 students enrolled in EFAs, the state would need to account for hundreds of millions in redirected funding — money that currently flows to public school budgets.
The National Picture
New Hampshire’s EFA program did not emerge in a vacuum. The broader school choice movement gained enormous momentum during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when school closures pushed millions of families to explore alternatives. Arizona, West Virginia, Florida, and several other states have enacted universal or near-universal school choice programs since 2021.
The federal role has shifted too. The U.S. Department of Education under various administrations has alternately championed and challenged school choice initiatives. New Hampshire’s program, because it operates entirely at the state level with state funds, has been largely insulated from federal policy swings — another advantage of the Granite State’s independent streak.
Education policy researchers at the Brookings Institution note that New Hampshire’s model is particularly interesting because of its accountability mechanisms and the relatively modest per-student funding amount, which keeps costs manageable while still providing meaningful choice.
What Comes Next
The 2026 legislative session in Concord features several education bills worth watching. One would eliminate the income cap entirely, making EFAs universal. Another would add community college dual-enrollment courses to the list of approved EFA expenses — a move that could make the program attractive to a much broader swath of families.
Meanwhile, the state’s public schools are grappling with their own challenges. As we reported in our coverage of New Hampshire’s education system strain and teacher pay crisis, districts across the state are struggling to recruit and retain teachers amid rising costs of living and stagnant compensation. Whether school choice programs help or hinder those efforts remains one of the most contested questions in Granite State education policy.
For now, New Hampshire families have more options than ever — and the rest of the country is watching closely to see what happens next.
How do I apply for a New Hampshire Education Freedom Account?
Families can apply through the Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire (csfnh.org). The application requires proof of New Hampshire residency, income verification, and identification of the student. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, though most families apply before the start of the school year. Processing typically takes two to four weeks.
Can EFA funds be used for homeschooling in New Hampshire?
Yes. Education Freedom Account funds can be used for homeschool curricula, textbooks, online learning platforms, educational supplies, and standardized testing. Homeschooling families must still comply with New Hampshire’s homeschool notification requirements through their local school district or the Department of Education.
Does using an EFA affect my child's ability to return to public school?
No. Students who participate in the EFA program retain the right to re-enroll in their local public school at any time. There is no penalty or waiting period. However, families should contact their local school district in advance to ensure a smooth transition and proper grade placement.
