Wicked Problem

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: NH is faced with a “wicked problem” when it comes to school funding.

The term, “Wicked Problem” was first introduced by Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber in 1973 in the context of social policy and planning. Wicked problems are characterized by:

No definitive solution – There’s no single, correct answer.
Interconnectedness – Solving one aspect often creates new problems.
Unique nature – Each wicked problem is distinct with no clear precedent.
Multiple stakeholders – Different groups have conflicting interests.
Changing conditions – The problem evolves over time.
No immediate test of a solution – The impact of a solution is hard to measure immediately.

What are the issues of the wicked problem of school funding?

The school funding issue cannot be solved by the School Board alone. This isn’t just a matter of cutting the budget and then taxes will be lower.

It is a much larger issue that is going to require further investigation and deep discussion among the Goffstown and NH citizens. I’m not suggesting that we can solve this problem quickly but I’m hopeful that we can at least begin the conversation. Here are some issues to be considered. What questions do you have about these issues? Do you need more information and, if so, what do you need and where might this information be found? Are there other issues that should be added?

Taxes and School Funding:
Public education is funded mainly through property taxes. (Reaching Higher NH & NH School Funding Fairness,
- NH does not have income or sales taxes. Property tax is a regressive tax meaning that the tax burden decreases with income.
- NH contributes the lowest percentage to public schools in the nation which ranks us at #50.
- Schools are funded approximately 70% through local property taxes, 19% through state funding, and the remaining 11% comes from the federal government and other sources.
- Those who live in a property-poor town must rely on higher local property tax rates to make up the difference.
Educational Freedom Accounts (EFA, aka School Vouchers)
This issue is a hot topic in NH and is being debated during the current legislative session. It’s important to note that local school boards have no jurisdiction over EFAs or other school choice options. This is governed by state law. In regard to the wicked problem though, it needs to be on the table as it affects school funding overall. Started in 2021, EFAs have diverted $50 million in state funds to private schools and home schools. In 2024-2025 the total was $26 million and with possible expansion legislation, that total could reach up to $100 million. (Reaching Higher NH, NH Dept of Education)
Rising Costs
This is a complex issue but I think we can all agree that it seems that everything is more expensive. Rising costs can be attributed to many factors such as supply-chain disruption (labor shortages, post-COVID, weather-related disasters, geo-political events), inflation, and increased production costs. Rising costs not only impact us individually, but they also impact the schools and town budgets.
Steady Enrollments in Goffstown
Overall, student enrollments in public schools have decreased. However in Goffstown enrollments have been steady. There are four housing developments in the works which will increase the enrollments. (NH School Funding Fairness, NH Municipal Association)
Aging Population
New Hampshire has an aging population due to a combination of low birth rates, outmigration of younger residents, and an influx of retirees. (Census Reporter , Carsey Institute, NH Municipal Association)

Now what? How do we tackle the wicked problem of school funding?

Are there other issues impacting school funding? What questions do we need to be asking? How do we begin this conversation?