Withdrawing from Public School for the NH EFA: Mid-Year Process

The Sequence Matters

You cannot pull your child from public school first and then figure out the EFA later. The order protects you from truancy issues and ensures funding is in place before your child's last day.

Here's the correct sequence:

1. Submit an EFA application to CSF NH through nh.scholarshipfund.org while your child is still enrolled in public school
2. Continue attending public school during the application review (4-6 weeks)
3. Receive conditional approval and account verification from CSF NH
4. Submit formal withdrawal paperwork to the public school, selecting "EFA Program" as the transfer destination
5. Receive your prorated EFA disbursement through ClassWallet

The critical point: your child stays enrolled in public school until CSF NH confirms their EFA application. Withdrawing before that can leave your child without the replacement program in place and create an attendance gap.

Mid-Year Applications and the Fall Window

Applications submitted after June 30 fall into the rolling fall window. There's an important restriction here: only applicants who qualify under Priority Tiers 2, 3, or 4 (siblings of current EFA students, students with disabilities, or families at or below 350% FPL) can receive prorated mid-year EFA funding if the enrollment cap has been reached.

If you don't qualify for any priority tier and the cap is full, you'll be placed on the waitlist. You can still withdraw from public school and begin home instruction under RSA 193-A while you wait, but you must file a Notice of Intent with a participating agency within 14 days of beginning home instruction. You won't receive EFA funding until a seat opens.

Prorated Funding

EFA grants are disbursed in four quarterly tranches (September 20%, November 20%, January 30%, April 30%). A mid-year applicant receives only the tranches remaining after their verification date.

For example, a student whose application is verified in October would miss the September tranche and receive approximately 80% of the annual award. A student verified in February would receive only the April tranche — about 30%.

The base award for FY2027 is $4,351. A student verified in October would receive roughly $3,481 for the remainder of the year; one verified in February would receive roughly $1,305.

What the Public School Needs from You

New Hampshire school districts handle withdrawal differently from each other, but you'll generally need:

• A written withdrawal letter addressed to the principal or superintendent stating your child's last day and indicating transfer to the EFA program under RSA 194-F
• Your child's student ID or identifying information
• Any district-specific withdrawal forms

Some districts ask for a copy of the CSF NH approval letter. You're not required to provide it, but sharing it can speed the process and prevent the district from coding your child as a dropout (which triggers different reporting requirements than a transfer).

Request copies of your child's academic records, IEP documents (if applicable), and immunization records before the last day. Getting these from a former school after withdrawal can take weeks.

No Prior Public School Attendance Required

A common misconception: you don't need to have been in public school to get an EFA. The program is open to students exiting public schools, students currently in private schools, kindergarten entrants who have never attended any school, and existing homeschoolers under RSA 193-A.

The "withdrawing from public school" pathway is just one entry point. If you're already homeschooling or your child is already in a private school, the application process skips the public school withdrawal step entirely.

What Happens to the District's Funding

When a student leaves a public school for the EFA, the district doesn't immediately lose the state adequacy funding associated with that student. For students who left before July 1, 2026, a phase-out grant system gave districts 100% of the funding in year one, 50% in year two, and 25% in year three. However, under RSA 194-F:10, II, phase-out grants for newly enrolling EFA students ended on July 1, 2026. Districts now absorb the full funding reduction when a student exits.

This doesn't affect your EFA application or award, but it's context you'll encounter if your school district pushes back on the withdrawal.

The New Hampshire EFA Parent Guide includes withdrawal letter templates and a timeline planner that maps the application-to-withdrawal sequence for mid-year transfers.

See more New Hampshire guides →