AT THE CEREMONIAL SIGNING of SB 295 – the landmark law expanding Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) in New Hampshire – the atmosphere was celebratory. Smiles, handshakes, and applause marked the occasion. But amidst the joy, a quiet moment in the crowd revealed a deeper truth.
As Renee Austin stood with her son Xander – a child with learning needs who uses a wheelchair – two critics of the bill confronted her without provocation. Their words carried a familiar undertone: that her child didn’t “belong” in the program. That his challenges were too complex. That only the traditional system could “handle” him.
She didn’t engage – because she didn’t have to. Her son was right there – present, proud, and thriving. He was the answer.
That encounter wasn’t just inappropriate – it was revealing. It exposed a lingering myth: that school choice is only for the privileged, the gifted, or the easy-to-teach. That children with disabilities, behavioral challenges, or emotional struggles somehow fall outside the promise of educational freedom.
But across New Hampshire, families are showing something very different. Their children aren’t fringe cases. They aren’t exceptions. They are, in many ways, the reason these programs exist.
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