Paul Rossi: Public education needs reform, not ideological conformity

To The Daily Sun,

I believe deeply in public education. I also believe it desperately needs reform. These positions are not contradictory.

Some of my opponents have also worked in public education, but we differ on how best to serve students. Having taught in some of the poorest neighborhoods and wealthiest private schools, I understand the challenges facing disadvantaged children. Effective instruction looks remarkably similar regardless of socioeconomic background.

My master's degree in educational psychology taught me to question fashionable educational theories, many of which lack rigorous evidence. Throughout my teaching career, I challenged these fads when they displaced effective instruction. Children learn best through clear, systematic teaching that builds foundational knowledge, from phonics to basic arithmetic.

Instructional quality matters more than simply reducing class sizes. Laconia has a student-teacher ratio of just 10.8 to 1, yet only 35% of students in grades 3-8 are proficient in math, nine percentage points below the state average. We must focus on results, not just resources.

I support school choice because opportunity shouldn't depend on zip code or family income. A January 2026 poll found 55% of Granite State likely voters supported universal Education Freedom Account eligibility, versus 30% opposed. Public education exists to serve students, not institutions.

In my 2021 essay (tinyurl.com/rossi-essay), I challenged teaching racial guilt and grievance as history. We can acknowledge where America fell short of its founding ideals while showing students why it became the envy of the world: its promise of prosperity, liberty, and respect for the individual.

I came to New Hampshire for its traditions of freedom and responsibility, and entered politics to put my experience to work for its children.

Paul Rossi

Laconia