Consolidation as a Potential Cost Saving Measure for New Hampshire's Education System

PRS Briefs
PRS Policy Brief 1516-10
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Jeeihn
Lee
Ray
Lu
Mary
Sieredzinski
Alexandros
Zervos
prs_report_nh_educationfinal.pdf

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 into account New Hampshire’s demographics, this study finds that consolidation has the most potential in non-rural, non-remote areas, which are least susceptible to losses in education measures and increases in transportation costs.