Our Key Communities

Reaching Higher NH has long identified “key communities” across New Hampshire to guide, inform, and contextualize our work in public education. Today, our state is at a critical inflection point in public education policy. Decisions being made in Concord will have lasting consequences for students, families, and the very fabric of our local communities.

In this moment, RHNH seeks to reinvigorate our partnerships with key communities across the state—to ensure that the voices of Granite Staters are not only heard, but actively shape the future of education in New Hampshire. We envision a statewide network of local public school districts that act as a living mirror of New Hampshire’s diverse educational landscape. This network will inform our reports, guide our advocacy, and ensure policymakers see the real people behind the numbers.

The Invitation:

We are seeking school districts to step forward and partner with us as Key Communities. This is a call to action for school districts, towns and cities that want their voices amplified, their data represented, and their stories told. Together, we can:

Become a Key Community

Why Communities Matter:

Key communities are more than focus groups—they are the backbone of our approach to policy and storytelling. Through them, we:

  • Ground our research in lived experience, ensuring data reflects the reality of students, families, and educators.

  • Tell authentic stories, bringing to life how policies play out in classrooms, homes, and local economies.

  • Bridge the gap between grasstops and grassroots, humanizing how state-level decisions ripple through our towns and school districts.

By working closely with key communities, RHNH can move beyond abstract policy debates and spotlight what truly matters: the well-being and success of New Hampshire’s youth and families.

The Deal: When you become a Key Community, you become a partner. 

What You Get:

A Stronger Voice in State Policy:

  • Direct influence on how RHNH frames research and information.

  • Stories and data curated from your community offering context to state-level conversations on school funding, teacher workforce, student supports, privatization/school choice and more.

Tailored Insights and Reports:

  • Access to easy-to-understand analyses of survey results and community-level data.

  • Custom snapshots showing how your district’s experiences compare with state trends.

Storytelling & Visibility:

  • Amplification of your community’s successes and challenges through RHNH publications, media outreach, and reports.

A Network of Partners:

  • Connection with other “Key Communities” across the state, building solidarity and shared learning.

  • A voice at the table to shape how education policy debates are grounded in real-world experience.

What You Give:

Reporting of  Data:

  • Key district-level information on enrollment, demographics, finances, and staffing (in alignment with existing reporting).

  • Access and insights on locally developed rubrics for assessing student progress, portrait of a graduate profiles (if developed), school district mission and vision work, and other materials that speak to a high quality public education.  

Ability to Survey Teachers and Families:

  • Support in distributing RHNH surveys to educators, parents, and caregivers and assistance encouraging participation, so voices are well-represented.

  • Engage in local conversations about the issues that matter most.  

Partnership and Communication:

  • A designated point person (or small team) in the district to liaise with RHNH and participation in 1-1 interviews and focus groups. 

  • Openness to share stories, provide feedback, and identify issues that matter most locally. 

Commitment: 

  • A communicated commitment from your board and superintendent

Become a Key Community

Questions? Contact Nicole Heimarck, Executive Director of RHNH at nicole@reachinghighernh.org.