In Concord, Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte highlighted on Monday a fresh assessment positioning the state's educational institutions among the nation's elite.

The assessment issued Monday by WalletHub, a personal finance firm headquartered in Miami and owned by Evolution Finance Inc., draws on 32 factors to evaluate state schools for quality and safety, covering test results along with dropout statistics.

Under this assessment, New Hampshire schools earn the fourth spot nationally, trailing Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey.

Every New England public school system lands in the national top 10 according to the firm, aside from Maine at 12th place.

New Hampshire takes pride in hosting some of the strongest schools nationwide, and this latest assessment reflects the commitment of our teachers, engaged families and diligent students who made it achievable, Ayotte remarked on the assessment. We will keep striving daily to enhance our state as an outstanding learning environment, from backing our strong public schools to removing cell phones from classrooms, broadening learning choices for families and beyond. I am confident New Hampshire will pursue the top rank while focusing on superior education for our children.

Although New Hampshire schools earn fourth place nationally, the state delivers the smallest share of support for public schools at 19 or 29 percent, depending on inclusion of the Statewide Education Property Tax that generates $363 million yearly.

Local property taxes cover 70 percent of public school funding in New Hampshire, the highest proportion of any state.

The national average for state support of public schools stands at 47 to 48 percent.

Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, the ranking Democratic member of the House Education Committee, noted that New Hampshire schools reach the top five because residents prioritize strong public education.

It stems not from legislative underfunding of public education or actions by Ayotte to weaken it, Luneau stated, but from broad public backing for schools and strong results for children.

Even with New Hampshire offering the lowest state portion of public school support, taxpayers consistently ensure schools receive necessary resources and perform at their highest level, he added.

The state ought to better acknowledge the emphasis Granite Staters place on robust public schools rather than subsidies for large firms such as Apple and Amazon via the voucher initiative, Luneau remarked.

The state's Education Freedom Account program expanded from more than 1,000 students five years ago to 10,510 this past school year and from $8 million to $52 million, with most funds supporting families already using religious schools, private options or homeschooling.

The largest single withdrawal from the program typically goes to Amazon.

Ayotte observed that since assuming office, state backing for public schools has reached record levels per pupil.

State contributions to public education have remained steady across recent budget periods, though the count of school-age students has declined in line with national trends.

Ayotte also advocated removing cell phones from classrooms, and the legislature enacted a full-day prohibition.

The governor allowed a bill from the 2025 session to stand that eliminated an earnings limit for the Education Freedom Account program, significantly widening eligibility, though she had favored requiring prior public school attendance for voucher entry.

She promoted expanded learning choices for state students and enacted the Parental Bill of Rights.

The governor further stated she instructed the Department of Education to create effective methods for better reading results, along with $8 million for school safety upgrades and current training for first responders.

In the WalletHub assessment, New Hampshire ranked fourth in quality yet 15th in safety, which still secured fourth overall.

While New Hampshire stands near the top in per-student spending and quality across multiple reviews, the state has not fulfilled a 30-year-old Supreme Court directive to deliver an adequate education to every child and cover its cost.

Two recent education funding cases determined the state fell short of its constitutional duty to provide and fund adequate education, with one upheld by the Supreme Court and another still under review.

The Ayotte administration, through the Attorney General's Office, plans to request that the court reverse the two Claremont education funding rulings that have shaped the state's public education framework for three decades.

The state's filing seeking reversal of the Claremont decisions is due Aug. 8.

Garry Rayno may be reached at garry.rayno@yahoo.com.