NH Department of Education releases annual public charter school report
There are currently 38 approved charter schools in the state, with 32 schools now in operation and five planning to open in the fall of 2025.* Three additional schools are working through the application process and could potentially open in the fall of 2026.
CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED) in February presented its 2024 Public Charter School Annual Report to the State Board of Education. Highlighting enrollment trends, student performance, financial data and more, the 13-page-report [see report below] provides detailed information on the status of New Hampshire’s public charter schools.
There are currently 38 approved charter schools in the state, with 32 schools now in operation and five planning to open in the fall of 2025.* Three additional schools are working through the application process and could potentially open in the fall of 2026.
“New Hampshire is fortunate to offer a wide range of educational opportunities for its students. We will continue to support public charter schools, as they provide additional learning alternatives, smaller class sizes and innovative teaching methods that are helping many students flourish,” said Commissioner Frank Edelblut of NHED. “Public charter schools play a vital role in offering a flexible curriculum in an intimate school community. With another pathway to quality education, parents can choose the option that best fits their child’s unique learning style.”
New Hampshire currently has 6,020 students enrolled in public charter schools, which is a 44 percent increase since 2019 when enrollment was at 4,178. The (in-person) charter school with the highest enrollment is Academy for Science and Design in Nashua with 672 students, followed by The Founders Academy in Manchester with 431 students and Windham Academy with 410 students.
According to the new report, the average cost-per-pupil for public chartered schools was $10,570 for fiscal year 2023 compared to the average cost-per-pupil for traditional public schools at $20,323 during that same timeframe; the current cost-per-pupil for district public schools is $21,545.
Among the 32 public charter schools operating in the state, seven are designed to help at-risk students who have not thrived in a traditional school model. Ten of these schools received supplementary federal funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act for Comprehensive Support and Improvement, Targeted Support and Improvement or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement during the fall of 2024.
For more information, visit New Hampshire Public Charter Schools.
*Please note that some data in this report has changed since its completion in November 2024. At the time the report was presented to the State Board of Education on February 20, 2025, two additional charter schools had since been approved, including Granite Valley Prep Charter School in December 2024 and Cornerstone Charter School in January 2025. This now changes the total number of approved charter schools in New Hampshire from 36 to 38.
