Center Library
Teacher Licensure and Experience
Over ten percent of Vermont’s school-aged children attend one of over 100 independent (private) schools in the state. Some of these students receive monetary vouchers to attend independent schools of their choice because their hometowns lack public schools. Unlike the state’s public schools, Vermont’s independent…
Right to Try Laws
The state of New Hampshire recently introduced House Bill 1138 (NH HB 1138) which establishes the Terminal Patient’s Right to Try Act, a piece of legislation which “allows a patient with a terminal illness access to investigational drugs, biological products, and devices.” This bill seeks…
Special Education Practices In Vermont
We have been tasked by the Education Committee of the Vermont House of Representatives, chaired by Representative David Sharpe, to examine the efficacy of the current special education system in the state of Vermont. We begin by examining the legislative context of special education policy…
Consolidation as a Potential Cost Saving Measure for New Hampshire's Education System
This study examines the consolidation of schools, school districts, and SAUs in New Hampshire as cost saving measures for the state’s education system. With declining enrollments and a shrinking school-age population, New Hampshire’s schools may benefit from consolidation without education performance and quality tradeoffs. Taking…
2016 New Hampshire State Of The State Poll
HANOVER, NH—The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center’s ninth annual NH State of the State Poll surveyed a sample of New Hampshire registered voters (N=362) from April 11-15, 2016 to assess their opinions on policy issues, elected officials, and the state of the economy in New Hampshire…
State of the Arts and Culture
New Hampshire is a state of long-held cultural values and a strong history of arts from performance to design. Evaluating how these massive assets contribute to the economy and how the state can continue to provide an environment where people and firms can flourish in…
Analyzing Program Evaluation Methodologies
This report addresses the goal of effective and efficient governance. The New Hampshire legislature receives a number of policy proposals each session claiming to be “evidence- based” but has no program evaluation mechanism. Proposals use different definitions and frameworks, and the legislature does not currently…
The Effects of Changing Divorce, Child Support , and Parental Rights Law
This report provides the New Hampshire House of Representatives’ Children and Family Law Committee with an evaluation of the effects of RSA 461-A (Parental Rights and Responsibilities Act of 2005), RSA 458-C (Child Support Guidelines 2011), and amendments to RSA 461-A (loss of public funds…
Public Banking in New Hampshire
The possibility of establishing a public bank may offer an opportunity for New Hampshire to exercise more control over its finances, and may offer an opportunity for a public sector institution to fulfill public needs that the private sector cannot or will not adequately meet. This…
Legalizing Marijuana in Vermont
Marijuana legalization is a prominent matter in politics today. While 23 states have legalized use of the entire plant for medicinal marijuana, only four (and Washington, D.C.) have legalized the use of recreational marijuana for people ages 21 and older. This report contextualizes the financial…