Claremont School Board Places
Spending Cap Warrant Article on March Ballot

(1/28/26) A school spending cap warrant article will be on the Claremont School District's ballot on March 10. The spending cap, which limits each year's spending per pupil to increase at the rate of inflation, is based on the 2025-2026 spending per student.

The spending cap will take effect for the 2027-2028 budget, which is prepared during the second half of 2026.

Proponents of the spending cap point to the increase in per pupil spending that has considerably outrun the inflation rate, without improving academic outcomes. Among New Hampshire schools, Claremont generally scores in the bottom 25% in language arts, math and science.

"Two things are clear," Emily Sandblade, the petitioner for the spending cap, states. "Claremont spends more per pupil than the New Hampshire average, but the ever-increasing spending is matched by decreasing performance. Secondly, the school board has failed to monitor and correct the financial mismanagement by the top school administrators. This has been happening for decades."

Opponents of the spending cap argue that it limits the school district's capability to adapt to changing circumstances. "This is not the case," Sandblade noted. State law allows the voters to override the cap by a 60% majority. This is hardly burdensome, as most school budgets in Claremont have been approved by larger margins. The only difference is that the school district will have to be more transparent and accountable to the voters and think more carefully about dramatic spending increases."

The warrant article faces its next hurdle at the school deliberative session, coming up on Saturday, February 7. Spending cap supporters expect that there will be attempts to gut the warrant article by amendment.

"It was no coincidence that the spending cap warrant article was placed last on the list of warrant articles. This tactic has been used by other school boards, who drag out the proceedings and wait for people to go home before they get to the last article," notes Sandblade.

"Some people, including school board members, intend to amend warrant articles in a way that will increase spending. This is business as usual unless enough concerned voters show up."

New ChatGPT Assistant Sheds Light on the Claremont School Board Operations

(1/27/26) The Claremont School Board Transparency Project recently released CSBTP V1. This powerful new software tool was built to make it easier for a non-technical person to navigate board packets, minutes, policies, and related documents, and to connect local records with statewide context from NHDOE data. It is designed to help the public and stakeholders ask concrete questions and get answers that point back to the record.

Click here to learn how to use the CSBTP V1 tool.

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