Reaching Higher NH

WHO WE ARE:

Reaching Higher NH (RHNH) is the leading education policy research organization in New Hampshire.

Our mission is to provide ALL New Hampshire children with the opportunity to prepare for college, for immediate careers, and for the challenges and opportunities of life in the 21st century. We provide real-time policy analysis used by state lawmakers, local school leaders, advocates, teachers, parent groups,  journalists, and the general public. 

We believe:

• Families are the foundation of the NH public education system.


• Public schools should have the funding they need.


• High-quality, public education should be available to every Granite State student.


• NH is a place for excellence in teaching and learning.

WHAT WE DO:

We bring together parents, students, educators, business leaders, and community members – from every part of New Hampshire, to explore how each NH student can reach their full potential. We provide content and analysis on policy and legislation that impact NH public education, through straightforward, fact-based briefs, webinars, and other resources so that all Granite Staters can thoughtfully consider, and engage on, education policy initiatives in our state -- and how those issues might impact their communities. We elevate policies and practices that strengthen public education and improve educational outcomes for all NH students. We work with a diversity of stakeholders to further local innovation and raise public awareness.

OUR CURRENT PROJECTS:

• Supporting Our Educators and School Staff


• Minimum Standards for Public School Approval


• Legislative Updates and the NH Education Network

Who We Are

About Reaching Higher NH
New Hampshire has always considered public education a precious civic asset. Reaching Higher NH’s mission is to provide all New Hampshire children with the opportunity to prepare for college, for immediate careers, and for the challenges and opportunities of life in 21st century NH, by serving as a public education policy and community engagement resource for New Hampshire families, educators, and elected officials.

We have a long-term vision of NH, where Granite Staters have a deeply-held conviction that public education is one of our state’s most precious assets, and all our public schools are strongly supported by their surrounding communities, thriving with the benefit of committed local and state support for achieving great student outcomes.

What We Do
-We bring together parents, students, educators, business leaders, and community members – from every part of New Hampshire, to explore how every NH student can reach their full potential. (Learn more about Reaching Higher NH’s work with Manchester Proud, a community-driven movement to develop a strategic plan for the city’s schools)
-We provide content and analysis on policy and legislation that impact NH public education, through straightforward, fact-based briefs, webinars, and other resources so that all Granite Staters can thoughtfully consider, and engage on, education policy initiatives in our state -- and how those issues might impact their communities. (Read Reaching Higher NH’s latest resources on education funding)
-We elevate policies and practices that strengthen public education and improve educational outcomes for all NH students. We work with a diversity of stakeholders to further local innovation and raise public awareness. (Learn more about Reaching Higher NH’s work to elevate positive school culture)

Our Current Work
In late 2018, the board and staff of Reaching Higher NH determined that our leading organizational policy priority will be to inform and support public engagement on the issue of school funding. We believe that re-exploring how NH funds its public schools is among the most important public policy opportunities of our time. To that end and for the foreseeable future, a lot of our policy work will be focused on providing the NH public with the timely research and resources you need to understand and make informed decisions about school funding policies in NH. This work includes:
In-depth original research, like our Whole Picture of Public Education project;
Information sharing, like our presentation to the Commission to Study School Funding;
Community engagement initiatives, and public awareness and information efforts.

Reaching Higher NH has partnered with Manchester Proud, an initiative to build a community-driven, comprehensive strategic plan for the Manchester School District, to engage thousands of Manchester residents and community members in learning about their needs and aspirations for their schools. In addition to assisting the movement through project management, Reaching Higher NH has also led Manchester Proud’s community engagement work, connecting and engaging hundreds of volunteers in the planning process — and, listening to thousands of community members as they shared their needs and aspirations for Manchester students and schools.