Zachary Suri, Contributing Photographer

Midway into Monday’s morning rush at Fair Haven School, students paused to look at the  crowd of adults gathered in front of their school building. They waved to the demonstrators — Mayor Justin Elicker, many of their teachers and city officials — and some joined the crowd, holding signs reading “Equal Education for All: Fund Our Schools.”

The demonstration called for increased federal and state funding for public education.

“Educators consistently imagine what is possible,” Leslie Blatteau ’97 GRD ’07, president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers, said. “They start off the year with a vision… And New Haven Federation of Teachers, we have a vision too, and our vision, and our community coalition’s vision is fully funded schools.”

The demonstrations Monday morning at Fair Haven and two other area schools — Metropolitan Business Academy and Brennan-Rogers Magnet School — were called to mark the expiration of millions of dollars in pandemic-era federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER, funds on Sept. 30. The rallies called on Congress to pass the Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers (PACT) Act, which would fully fund Title I programs for students in poverty and special education programs. The actions are part of a nationwide push by Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools to pressure Congress to prioritize education funding. 

The third and final round of ESSER funds officially expired Monday, although some districts will be eligible for an extension until March 2026. These funds brought record federal investment to New Haven Public Schools and districts statewide, but their expiration has thrust NHPS back into financial difficulties. 

“We believe that it shouldn’t just take a pandemic to ensure that the schools where we work and serve and where our students attend are fully funded,” Blatteau told the crowd. 

Blatteau called on the New Haven Board of Education to pass a resolution that would request  increased federal and state funding. NHFT circulated a petition to attendees and the media in support of the resolution. As of Monday afternoon, it had gathered more than a hundred signatures.

Blatteau called on the federal government to spend less on “war and weapons” and instead “tax the ultra wealthy” to fully fund schools like Fair Haven School. She also called on the state to remove fiscal guardrails preventing further investment in public education — a demand later echoed by Elicker.

She was joined by Elicker, Board of Education member Dr. Abie Benitez, NHPS Superintendent Madeline Negron and six alders, including Frank Redente Jr., who is a youth development coordinator at Fair Haven School. 

“The reality is right now we do not have equitable funding in our schools,” Elicker said. “We spend less than the state average in New Haven per student on our schools… When you look at what our kids’ needs are, we should be spending more than the state average.”

According to Elicker, 75 percent of NHPS students are low-income, and 21 percent are multilingual. As a result, New Haven students require more, not less funding than the typical Connecticut student, Elicker said. 

Elicker estimated that NHPS needs $35 million more annually to reach “reasonable” staffing levels, which he defined as one school counselor and one social worker per 250 students. NHPS currently faces an $11.8 million shortfall to maintain current services. 

Elicker also emphasized the need for capital funds to support critical maintenance issues. Facilities like Wilbur Cross High School have been plagued by mold and deferred maintenance in recent weeks. 

Despite the challenges the district faces, Elicker pointed to the work his administration has done to support NHPS, namely increasing its general fund contribution to the district by 42 percent in the last five years.  

“We are working hard to invest in our schools, and we will do more,” Elicker said. “But we need to see that support from the federal government and the state.”

ESSER funds have shown the difference increased funding can make, he added. Elicker credited the influx of federal funds with temporarily lowering student-teacher ratios and supporting afterschool and summer programs. 

Elicker noted that New Haven is not alone in facing these challenges. He cited Bridgeport, Waterbury and Hartford as peer districts facing similar funding crises. 

Dr. Yesenia Garcia, school psychologist at Fair Haven School for 13 years, connected students’ access to smaller class sizes, up-to-date curricula and mental health support services with stronger federal funding. 

“As educators, parents and advocates for public education, we know the impact that equitable funding can have on supporting our school communities,” Garcia said. “It is critical that our public schools are fully funded to ensure that all students regardless of their background or ZIP code receive a world-class education.” 

Debra Riding, a former NHPS high school teacher and director of education services for Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, also argued that federal and state governments have a responsibility to support urban school districts that bear the brunt of paying for refugee education.

Elicker associated the strength of education with the future of the city. 

“We need to invest in our kids if we want them to have strong careers, if we want them to be taxpayers, to be homeowners, to be productive citizens,” Elicker told the News. “The payback long term will be well worth the investment today.”

Fair Haven School is located at 164 Grand Ave.

Correction, Oct. 7: The spelling of Redente’s namewas corrected.