HB 1774 Directs state to defund "low-earning degree programs" at public universities.
Directs state to defund "low-earning degree programs" at public universities.
Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?
Overall Impact Score
Concerning
Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)
Your Wallet
Redirects university funding toward workforce programs without reducing taxpayer costs
Your Community
Threatens the pipeline for teachers and social workers in a state with shortages in both
Your Freedom
State dictates which degree programs public universities may fund and offer
Status
Engrossed March 17, 2026. In Senate Education Committee.
Sponsor
Rep. Jim Kofalt (R)
The Short Version
Requires the University System of NH to ensure "no state funds support low-earning degree programs." Who defines "low-earning"? The bill doesn't say clearly, but the implication is obvious: programs in education, social work, the arts, humanities, and other fields that don't maximize starting salaries. In a state with a desperate teacher shortage, the legislature wants to defund the programs that produce teachers. You can't make this up.
Who's Behind This Bill?
Who Benefits
- ▲ Workforce training programs
- ▲ Employers seeking trade-focused graduates
Who Pays the Price
- ▼ Education degree programs (primary teacher pipeline)
- ▼ Arts, humanities, and social work programs
- ▼ NH communities facing teacher and social worker shortages
Full Analysis
NH has a severe teacher shortage. Schools across the state can't fill positions in special education, math, science, and foreign languages. The University System of NH — including UNH's education program — is one of the primary pipelines for new teachers in the state.
HB 1774 directs the university system to ensure no state funds support "low-earning degree programs." Education degrees are, by definition, "low-earning" — teachers in NH start at around $35,000-$42,000 depending on the district. So do social work degrees, art degrees, music degrees, and many of the humanities programs that produce the teachers, counselors, and support staff that schools desperately need.
The bill also directs the Governor to pursue federal workforce Pell Grant funding and pushes the university system toward workforce training programs. There's nothing wrong with workforce development, but using it as a justification to defund liberal arts and education programs at public universities is a false choice. A state can value both job training AND producing educated citizens.
The message this sends to anyone considering a teaching career in NH is devastating: the state that can't fill teaching positions is actively working to defund the programs that produce teachers.
Bill statuses as of May 2026. Check LegiScan or NH General Court for the latest.