This column by New Hampshire House Majority Leader Jason Osborne originally appeared in the New Hampshire Union Leader on September 30, 2025. Read it at unionleader.com.
WHEN Gov. Kelly Ayotte and many New Hampshire senators and representatives campaigned on expanding educational freedom for all families, they meant it. This school year, that promise became reality. Every child in New Hampshire — no matter their family circumstances — is empowered to choose with an Education Freedom Account (EFA). This is what leadership looks like.
For years, opponents predicted disaster if EFAs expanded. They said it would bankrupt public schools. They claimed families couldn’t afford alternatives even with help.
None of this happened. Instead, we got exactly what was promised: more options for those who need them, more satisfied kids and their families, and savings for taxpayers.
The numbers don’t lie. Traditional public schools spend roughly $20,000 per student each year. Education Freedom Accounts provide about $5,000 per student. When a family chooses an EFA, taxpayers save while that family gets that much closer to finding the education that’s best for their kid.
Every year, more families choose EFAs because they work. EFA enrollment has steadily increased every year since its inception, and is set to double this school year, the first after universal expansion. This is far from abandoning public education. It’s about recognizing that one size doesn’t fit all, and parents know their children better than bureaucrats do.
Elected officials in New Hampshire have trusted parents and delivered results. Universal EFAs are working exactly as promised. Families have more options. Children are discovering environments that better suit their learning needs. Taxpayers are saving money.
The question now is whether we’ll protect and build on this progress or let political pressure force us backward.
Educational freedom in New Hampshire didn’t happen by accident. It happened because leaders like the governor and legislative champions had the courage to challenge the status quo and trust parents with their children’s futures.
But freedom requires constant defense. The forces that opposed universal EFAs haven’t disappeared — they’ve just changed tactics. They’ll claim to support “choice” while proposing restrictions that gut the program.
Gov. Ayotte and legislative champions have delivered on their promise. Every child is different, and Education Freedom Accounts ensure that every family can find what works for their child.
Let’s keep empowering families so every kid can get the education that works best for them.
Originally published in the New Hampshire Union Leader.
