Jody Underwood, Ph.D.

Update: 3 more spring fairs!

People talking with fair providers

Check out the new school choice fairs this spring! Put the dates in your calendars. Some education providers have already registered, but it’s just the beginning — check them out! Candia Goffstown Swanzey Claremont We’re working on a fair in Concord and other places in the summer and fall.ย Let us knowย if you want to organize … Read more

Wow! Manch Fair a huge success

People talking with fair providers

The Manchester Fair was a huge success! This was the first fair co-organized by EdOpt and the Children’s Scholarship Fund. It was held this past Saturday March 21 at Trinity High School in Manchester, NH. The DJ and food truck attracted hundreds of people (and their children!) to talk with over 50 education providers across … Read more

Manchester Fair in one week!

Fair flyer with notebook paper background

Our next Fair is in less than a week in Manchester! EdOpt is partnering with Children’s Scholarship Fund for this one. Saturday March 21, from 11-2pm at Trinity High School at 581 Bridge St, Manchester, NH. We’ll have a DJ and a food truck, and lots of education providers across the range of options. EdOpt … Read more

๐ŸŽ‰ EdOpt Navigator is Live!

navigator interface floating above a simplified map of New Hampshire. Light connection lines extend from the map to icons representing different education options

If youโ€™re a parent trying to understand your education options in New Hampshire, you may have discovered something frustrating: the information exists โ€” but itโ€™s scattered across dozens of websites, policies, and reports. Worse, you don’t know which ones to look at. Thatโ€™s why we built EdOpt Navigator. Thanks to the testing many people did, … Read more

Recurring Dreams of School

Man sleeping, thought bubbles of different dreams

Have you had recurring dreams about school? Were they pleasant or disturbing? Personally, I always liked school. But I don’t think I ever had a good dream about school. I read an article recently that summarized a survey of people who have had recurring dreams about school. I thought the results would be interesting to … Read more

Help Test EdOpt’s New AI Assistant (Beta)

Teenage boy and girl smiling, looking at a computer and writing in a notebook, with iced coffee on the table. Two other scenes with children at the bottom. Image of a phone overlays it all.

Finding the right education path for your child in New Hampshire can feel overwhelming. There are so many options โ€” public schools, charter schools, private schools, homeschooling, Education Freedom Accounts, enrichment programs โ€” and it’s hard to know where to start. That’s why we’re building the EdOpt AI Assistant. We’re launching a beta version today, and we … Read more

Nurturing a Love of Reading

Adult reading a book with 4 children outdoors, spaceship, fairy, and other graphics indicating imagination

Before we get to early literacy, we want to announce our first EdOpt Fair of the Spring! Our first Fair this spring will be next month in Manchester! EdOpt is partnering with Children’s Scholarship Fund for this Fair. Saturday March 21, from 11-2pm at Trinity High school. We’ll have a DJ and a food truck, … Read more

Donโ€™t Pick a School. Solve the Problem.

A maze at the center with arrows going from problem to obstacles to solutions

When families start looking for alternative education options, theyโ€™re often already deep in a problem. Something isnโ€™t working. A child is frustrated, disengaged, bored, anxious, or falling behind. The instinctโ€”understandablyโ€”is to jump straight to a solution: a different school, homeschooling, a learning center, online classes. But real problem solving doesnโ€™t start with solutions. It starts … Read more

Nat’l School Choice Week was a hit

Two people smiling at an education fair

National School Choice Week was celebrated all over the country, including here in New Hampshire. National School Choice Week isnโ€™t just about policy OR education freedom accounts โ€” itโ€™s about real people finding and creating schools and learning spaces where children thrive. In NH, it includes open enrollment, tax credit scholarships, town tuitioning, innovation schools, … Read more

3 Fairs this week, 1 Fair goes virtual!

teenagers wearing yellow scarves

With this snowstorm continuing through Monday evening, we are going toย pivot to have a Virtual Fair for Claremont!ย ย  I’m actually excited about it.  We’ll haveย breakout rooms for each education provider. Attendees can move from room to room and chat with the providers they are interested in, or come out to the Main room where I’ll … Read more

National School Choice Week in 6 days!

Girl making a V with her fingers, holding a book about reading

Join tens of thousands of schools and millions of parents and children to raise awareness of Kโ€“12 education options. National School Choice Week starts in a week: January 25-31, 2026. Overย 28,600 events and activitiesย will take place across allย 50 statesย during this weeklong celebration of school choice.ย  Of course, New Hampshire is one of the states having … Read more

Improving Literacy

4 pictures of adults reading with children

About 51% of fourth-grade students in our state are still not reading proficiently. In addition, we have a significant gap in the literacy proficiency rate of children with disabilities. The New Hampshire Department of Education supports a number of efforts to support families to help their children learn to read, including children with special needs. … Read more

3 January School Choice Fairs!

Education fair with people milling around tables

EdOpt is holding 3, count ’em, three Fairs during National School Choice Week, the last week of January 2026. EdOpt Fair Schedule Children’s Scholarship Fund of NH is also holding a National School Choice Showcase & Fair on Wednesday, January 28, from 10am to noon at the Grappone Conference Center, Granite Ballroom. Be prepared to … Read more

SpEd families opt for school choice

Two women smiling

Schools get a lot of money to provide the supports that Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 plans specify. These plans are supposed to ensure that students receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) by schools receiving federal funds. I have heard stories from families about special needs children who aren’t getting the services they … Read more

๐ŸŽ‰ EdOpt had a great 2025 ๐ŸŽ‰

Screenshot of EdOpt map showing categories and EFA providers in NH.

We are celebrating our first full year as an organization. Looking back at the year gives me hope that we can achieve our mission. EdOpt was named an โ€œAll Starโ€ by the National School Choice Awareness Foundation. Our website was refreshed to make it easy to find homeschool and education providers around the state and … Read more

๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿ’ปDemo: Find activities near you

Screenshot of EdOpt map showing categories and EFA providers in NH.

A mom in the NH EFA Home Educators Facebook group recently asked where she could find physical activities for her two homeschooled girls somewhere between Hillsboro and Concord. There were a few responses, which looked helpful. This is exactly the type of thing EdOpt supports. I quickly found 19 possible activities on our website in … Read more