Parents and educators from Hartford, Connecticut, are calling on city officials to better fund public schools in the area amid various cuts that threaten hundreds of jobs.
The situation comes as the city is still looking for a new superintendent, leaving the struggling district to fend for itself without a leader figure. A grassroots organization, the Fight for Hartford Public Schools Coalition, held a press conference on Tuesday.
Hartford Public School Funding Cuts
It was held between two town halls held by the district, which are being held to get the public's input about the search for the superintendent. The coalition comprises parents, educators, and other community stakeholders who argue the city needs to focus on the budget crisis.
Constanza Segovia, a parent and member of the coalition, said they are basically calling for the city to stop flat-funding schools in the area. She added that cutting teacher positions and student services will leave no hope for the future, according to NBC Connecticut.
Segovia argued that the district has already made cuts to the schools, totaling $20 million, ranging from teacher positions to after-school programs. However, it is still facing a massive $6.7 million funding gap.
She said that finding a perfect person to be the superintendent is important but they will not be able to immediately make the problems go away. The parent believes that officials need to address the budget issues and make sure that kids in the city are given the same opportunities as those in other wealthy suburbs.
The search for a new superintendent comes as the current individual holding the position, Leslie Torres Rodriguez, is set to step down at the end of the school year. Her resignation comes after spending seven years at the helm, WFSB reported.
Addressing the Longtime Issue
While the board of education for the city adopted a budget of $452 million for next year, it is still not enough to fill the funding gap. Carole Gale, the president of the Hartford Federation of Teachers, said the district was forced to remove important aspects of the educational experience, causing students to suffer.
Torres Rodriguez, in the final chapter of her position as superintendent, acknowledged the district's longtime budget struggles. She said that for years, the district has been lacking what it needed to address the financial problems that have arisen.
The district has already cut hundreds of staff in the past decade and officials are thinking of cutting dozens more general education teachers. They are also considering cuts to special education and central office staff, as per CT Insider.
