05/15/2025
A lot of misinformation is circulating, and with so much at stake (our kids) we have to get the facts right.
1) The district is not “top-heavy.”
Milford has fewer administrators than other districts of similar size. These roles are essential to keep things running. They ensure consistency in curriculum, support teachers, principals and students, while also maintaining strong operations across schools. Years ago, students in the same grade were learning completely different things depending on the school. Leadership roles like these help prevent that. Big systems need structure, just like the city side of government, which also has layers of management. That said, the Board of Education did reduce an administrative position this week as part of the response to the BOF’s budget cuts. On Monday, BOE reduced one administrator and one teacher leader. This is in addition to two teacher leaders that were reduced in their original budget. So that's 4 total 'leadership' positions that were eliminated for next year.
2) The $1.1M for esports arenas is a capital expense, not part of this year’s school operating budget. This investment was added to the city’s long-term capital improvement plan well before the annual budget was written. It was approved by the BOE, Mayor, Board of Finance, and Board of Aldermen, with public input along the way. It supports not just esports but also high school classes in digital media and marketing, and it’s linked to a partnership with a local business. This was a strategic investment that creates real opportunities for students (esports is a CIAC sport and college scholarships are available. Plus this is a billion-dollar industry). It’s simply not accurate to connect it to this year’s budget cuts.
3) About Professional Development . . .. The PD line was already reduced in this year’s BOE adopted budget - the summer program that keeps being referenced is just a portion of the total PD budget—less than a quarter of it. PD is also a state-mandated expense, and for good reason. We want teachers who are growing in their practice, just like we want our students to grow. On Monday the Board did trim an additional $15K from the superintendent’s proposed PD budget to help them save two critical staff positions. That’s not a lack of leadership—it’s thoughtful collaboration. A total of $40,000 was trimmed from PD over last year.
This moment should spark a bigger conversation. These cuts will cost us more than they save. In volatile budget years, we’ve seen good teachers leave for districts that show a clear commitment to investing in education. That kind of churn creates instability, erodes experience, and ultimately hurts our kids. It also makes parents start to question whether Milford is still the right place to raise a family.
Over the past year, many of us have participated in the long-range facilities planning process. We’ve learned that enrollment is stabilizing, and that our school buildings are in serious disrepair after years of deferred investment. Now is the time for leadership that rebuilds trust in public education, not breaks it. Educating students is one of the most important legacies a community can leave. We have investments to make, and we should step up and make them.
Please join our movement to Stand for Milford, CT Schools. Follow our page, and sign up for our email list - link in the comments.
