Cited by

Under our education funding jurisprudence, Part II, Article 83 of the State Constitution “imposes a duty on the State to provide a constitutionally adequate education to every educable child in the public schools in New Hampshire and to guarantee adequate funding.” Claremont School Dist.

When “the constitutional provision[] at issue contain[s] language dissimilar to ours,” interpretations by other courts are of more “limited value.” Claremont School Dist.

II, art. 38; Claremont School Dist.

II, art. 38; Claremont School Dist.

v. Governor, 138 N.H. 183, 193 (1993) (expressing confidence that political branches would “fulfill their responsibility...

In Claremont School District v. Governor, 138 N.H. 183 (1993) (Claremont I), we stated that “[w]e do not define the parameters of the education mandated by the constitution as that task is, in the first instance, for the legislature and the Governor.” Id.

led a petition for declaratory relief in superior court alleging that the system by which the State financed education violated thé New Hampshire Constitution, The trial court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the New Hampshire Constitution “imposes no qualitative standard of *501 education which must be met” and “imposes no quantifiable financial duty regarding education.” Claremont School Dist.

“In interpreting an article in our constitution, we will give the words the same meaning that they must have had to the electorate on the date the vote was cast.” Claremont School Dist.

In Claremont School District v. Governor, 138 N.H. 183, 635 A.2d 1375 (1993) (Claremont I), we interpreted Part II, Article 83 to “imposeG a duty on the State to provide a constitutionally adequate education for every educable child in the public schools in New Hampshire and to guarantee adequate funding.” Id.

v. Governor, 138 N.H. 183, 192, 635 A.2d 1375, 1381 (1993) (Claremont I) (“free government is dependent for its survival on citizens who are able to participate intelligently in the political, economic, and social functions of our system”).

actors influencing our conclusion that a special relationship exists between schools and students include the compulsory character of school attendance, see RSA 193:1, I (Supp. 1994), the expectation of parents and students for and their reliance on a safe school environment, and the importance to society of the learning activity which is to take place in public schools, see Claremont School Dist.

(quotation omitted); cf. Claremont School District v. Governor, 138 N.H. 183, 192, 635 A.2d 1375, 1381 (1993) (“in New Hampshire a free public education is at the very least an important, substantive right”).