School District Governance Association of New Hampshire
Giving voters a voice by empowering elected school district officials to reclaim control over budgets and curriculum.
Pledge for School District Candidates and Elected Officials
We recommend that voters call on school district candidates and elected officials to embrace this pledge: I, _________________________, PLEDGE TO THE VOTERS OF ____________________________ THAT I WILL DO MY UTMOST AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO 1) Promote education that cultivates in our children a profound respect for our nation's founding principles and the U.S. and New Hampshire Constitutions; 2) Promote an academic program that teaches that all people are created equal and have equal rights and responsibilities under the law; 3) Prevent school faculty and staff from politicizing education, while respecting the free speech of individuals...
BLOG
News and Announcements
Webinar: ABCs of School Boards 2026
Jody Underwood, Ph.D., long-serving member of the Croydon School Board and pioneering advocate for school tuitioning liberalization, explains the structure of school districts and the basic responsibilities of school board members. This introduction is intended for...
2025 Local Tax Caps, Budget Caps, and Petition Warrant Articles
On October 21, SDGA held a comprehensive webinar on local tax caps, school district budget caps, town budget caps, and petition warrant articles. During the 2025 legislative session, the General Court passed and the Governor signed several important improvements to...
SDGA Alert – Legislative Changes This Year You Need to Know
New laws have recently gone into effect that can help improve your school districts (and towns). RSA 186:11, X(a) "Certification of teachers, supervisors, and administrators in the public schools " - This common sense law requires those seeking an initial license for...
SDGA Publishes New and Updated Model Policies
SDGA is pleased to announce three new and updated model policies to our growing model policy manual. Of most immediate interest is our "Parental Rights and Responsibilities Policy" now updated to incorporate the Parental Bill of Rights which became law July 1...
SDGA President Provides Legislative “Committee to Study Reducing Number of SAUs” Conceptual Plan for Improved School Governance
On October 2, SDGA President Eric Pauer, former Hollis Brookline Co-Op School Board member, provided the 7-member legislative "Committee to Study Reducing Number of SAUs" at Granite Place in Concord, NH, with detailed data and a conceptual plan to improve school...
SDGA Scoops the NH Department of Education: 2025 Statewide Student Achievement Results
(Sept. 22, 2025) – The SDGA (School District Governance Association of NH) has posted on our website the statewide student achievement results from spring 2025. The data was gathered from the results publicly posted on the NH Department of Education site, but...
Latest Events
Webinar: Special Education Costs and SAU Consolidation
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Special education, a partially-funded mandate by the federal government, is rising as an important issue in school districts across the state. At over 25%, NH has the highest percentage of students...
Webinar: Public Education State and Local Funding – How Does It Work?
Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Public education in NH is largely funded locally, with local control, but with many different types of state aid. Adequacy aid and special education aid are the main components, but there are others like...
SDGA’s 10th Annual General Meeting 2026
May 30, 2026, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Our 10th Annual General Meeting for 2026 will be held in Concord, NH WHERE: Granite State Baptist Church Basement, 236 Sheep Davis Rd, Concord, NH 03301 WHEN: Saturday, May 30. Doors open at 9:00 AM for continental...
Discover Your Power
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SDGA?
The School District Governance Association of
New Hampshire (SDGA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help members of school boards and budget committees discover their powers so they can effectively assert their lawful authority and be responsible to their electorate.
What does SDGA do?
SDGA Members are committed to:
- Helping school board and budget committee members discover their legal roles and responsibilities
- Publicizing and communicating best practices in governance and budgeting
- Formulating model school district policies so boards will have an independent, alternative resource
- Proposing and monitoring legislation that supports local control in education and openness in administration
Who can join SDGA?
Anyone who supports our mission. The core of our membership includes past or present elected or appointed local officials who have or have had fiduciary responsibility for a New Hampshire school district budget. We also encourage parents, taxpayers and others to join.
To be accepted as a member, you must be approved by the SDGA Board, and then pay dues. We generally have a conversation with the applicant to make sure they support our mission.
Dues are $20 per year, non-prorated, payable January 1st. Lifetime memberships are $200.
How can SDGA help you?
SDGA offers seminars on a range of topics related to governance: budgets, understanding of curricular and assessment issues, clarifying special education laws and so on.
We have begun to provide model policies that clarify school board and administrative roles.
Our members can offer their vast experience in many areas.
How can YOU get involved?
- Attend a seminar.
- Come to a meeting. The SDGA Board meets on the first Saturday of the month. Meetings are open to members and interested parties: there are always lively discussions.
- Join a committee or a project and help SDGA provide needed resources.
- Invite a friend to join a committee or attend a seminar.
- Donate time or money. SDGA runs on a
shoestring and every little bit helps.