The front-page article on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) printed on Oct. 10 misrepresents changes in the share of low-income students receiving EFAs, ignoring important legislatively approved changes to the program and citing outdated income thresholds.

The article overlooks that in June 2023, Gov. Chris Sununu signed a law expanding eligibility for the program by increasing the income limit to 350% of FPL, up from 300%, the threshold cited in the article. According to readily available data and reports on the DOE website, 3,025 children benefited from EFAs in the 2022-2023 school year, the year before the expansion. This year, as the article reports, 5,321 children benefit. That increase is mostly attributable to the program expansion. When more moderate-income families become eligible and enroll, the share of low-income students will drop proportionally. The income limits for EFAs are similar to the income limits for New Hampshire’s Expanded Children’s Medicaid program which provides health care to low- and moderate-income children, and the NH Childcare Scholarship program which assists low - and moderate-income families with child care expenses.

These data do not provide evidence that fewer low-income students benefit from EFAs or that a smaller share of low-income students in New Hampshire are accessing school choice funds. Instead, the data show that the law passed by our elected officials to expand the program has led to the enrollment of more children from moderate-income families as intended.

Bethany Paquin

Dublin