[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6050981,"mediaKeyId","3459684-c120814cd1e80276393f5ce6b062493c","parentId",3459684,"title","Board adopts visitor, breastfeeding and graduation requirement updates; capstone becomes optional, financial literacy required","audioSeconds",351,"startMs",6294000,"endMs",6645000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3459684-c120814cd1e80276393f5ce6b062493c&start=6294&end=6645","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3459684-c120814cd1e80276393f5ce6b062493c/thumbnail_6294000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6050981/Connecticut/Board-adopts-visitor-breastfeeding-and-graduation-requirement-updates-capstone-becomes-optional-financial-literacy-required","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6050981-d106ec4ea980fb25580773383e94c48c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141934&Signature=oI5UXyeXkua9Oz9rWYzJS22m0PknWEgXXwndfXaySVajlJYiXkra~yUV7GwfXytYOykX6mZQ6X0XC3QxQYCLcABjrPitFvAu-FjImn~RhR23KvKeDrcWPtITkjisO3lbtBQsL66gejuzmhmCegxXPla2J6y50ER5XR~RFvogdQm~rJ2SzXqaKtYnrA1hcGDX-W2yLTtoI2O3V8CoJEdr1Sm1HbgXug-AXBx0PDVb06aEfQJoTPEJ4yJjbPyTH6VUeUMXmfefzab9GdSsixJwfBtTTcKpKBJ5bGwVWm5Gh6NADdrFp6IrSHdS2mftL~LvIinfa9aOFMpI1gKTawEM8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Norwalk Public Schools ","date","2025-04-23T00:00:00Z","article","The Norwalk Board of Education unanimously approved three policy items Tuesday: updated visitors and observations language, a breastfeeding (lactation space) policy, and revisions to high‑school graduation requirements that remove the capstone as mandatory while adding a required financial‑literacy course for the cohort entering in 2027.

What the policies say

- Visitors and observations: The updated policy clarifies that visits must not disrupt instruction and that schools should follow existing procedures (e.g., office notification). The policy package also incorporates updated model language addressing circumstances such as requests tied to outside agencies.

- Breastfeeding/lactation space: The new policy affirms the district’s commitment to providing an optional private lactation space for parents or visitors who request it. District staff said schools have identified lactation spaces and that use is intended to be discrete; parents or visitors are to speak with the school office for access.

- High‑school graduation requirements: The board approved keeping the district’s 25‑credit graduation requirement while making the previously required capstone optional. Separately, a financial‑literacy course will be required for the cohort of students who are current sophomores (cohort 2027).

Board action

The policies were moved and seconded on the consent agenda and passed unanimously; the board recorded the approvals as unanimous. The motions were presented from the policy committee and district staff said schools have been informed of the expectations and spaces referenced in the policies.

Context and next steps

Policy committee members said the breastfeeding policy formalizes practices already in place and the visitors policy update reflects recent model‑policy changes and operational clarifications. The superintendent and staff said they will work with schools to ensure lactation spaces are available and to circulate guidance on visitor procedures and the new graduation requirement timeline.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Norwalk Public Schools BOARD BUSINESS MEETING - April 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Norwalk Board of Education unanimously approved updates to the visitors and observations regulation, a breastfeeding/lactation space policy, and high‑school graduation requirements (the capstone becomes optional and a financial literacy course is required for the current sophomore cohort).","taxTitle","Norwalk School District, School Districts, Connecticut","taxId",13003,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6050986,"Board approves two student trips after debate over timeliness and safety; vote splits 5‑3",1423,4816000,6239000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3459684-c120814cd1e80276393f5ce6b062493c&start=4816&end=6239","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3459684-c120814cd1e80276393f5ce6b062493c/thumbnail_4816000.jpg","/articles/6050986/Connecticut/Board-approves-two-student-trips-after-debate-over-timeliness-and-safety-vote-splits-53","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6050986-440e0e1cb67ec3750304d0fae50af11d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141934&Signature=N9gt2hTBv78uPWBc~lzvgZn9oaMPQzzs2Nn5ie~IN2VBOgJ14NUUZI9RouK4ygw0T69WHOhl8BDAlzclVe7zfknZfJqcUWWmBdtsnK83WFIvGUc4vtq~iERM6z23jqSO7OowtJqO4hyevxwdQBhBNGls0ETx8SsOB8n3XVwpVdndJyoznrunCTowDI3NWdUMlAODWOK4I3DNfRKjM64iAwaoxpe7YV22lXTrHZpv6XeVf3WjqeeI1HrzdwBH5u~QW5XtPrPDmBe4ZGp2npte-3z3jUOts2HidWEW9DnMOiETFHZg-1vTbOWrAOsffx2d55Hhl-TbHf3jNvDRA58yug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Norwalk Board of Education voted 5–3 Tuesday to approve two student trips after board members debated whether the trip requests were submitted late and whether the district’s regulations and safety checks had been followed.

What happened: Board members raised concerns that one or both trip requests were not submitted to the board in a timely way and that funds had already been collected in some cases before board approval. Several members said the district should tighten trip regulations and strengthen preapproval checklists. Superintendent Alexandra Estrella said district staff and legal counsel would review late submissions and work with organizing agencies to ensure documentation and safety measures are complete.

Board discussion and arguments

Board members in favor stressed that students should not be penalized for adult errors and that staff had committed to ensuring all necessary documents and chaperone ratios would be corrected before travel. Members opposing approval cited safety concerns for international travel and the need for trips to have clear curricular connections and required that funds not be collected before formal board approval.

Vote and attribution

The board recorded five yes votes and three no votes. The board recorded the yes votes as Jasmine Preci, Howard White, Ashley Goulias, Mary Ellen Clary Ludwig and Janine Randolph; the no votes were Cara Bakke, Diane Loracella and Sherry McCready Pritchett. The motion to approve the two trips was moved by Ashley Goulias (mover) and seconded (second not specified in the record). The board also agreed to ask staff and legal counsel to present clarifying regulations and safeguards for future trip approvals.

Context and next steps

Board members asked policy and finance staff to revise the trip regulation to include a clearer checklist for timeline, curriculum linkage, chaperone ratios, and vendor/agency documentation; the board also asked staff to examine trip insurance and refund provisions in case a trip must be canceled. The superintendent said she and district counsel would follow up with the organizing agencies and provide the board with updated documents before travel.","After extended discussion about late submissions, safety and curriculum links, the Norwalk Board of Education approved two student trips — one domestic and one international — following assurances from district staff and legal review; the vote was 5 in favor, 3 opposed.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6050991,"Norwalk schools face $6.7 million shortfall; district to cut central-office and special-education supervisory posts",527,1791000,2318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3459684-c120814cd1e80276393f5ce6b062493c&start=1791&end=2318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3459684-c120814cd1e80276393f5ce6b062493c/thumbnail_1791000.jpg","/articles/6050991/Connecticut/Norwalk-schools-face-67-million-shortfall-district-to-cut-central-office-and-special-education-supervisory-posts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6050991-57a68e8e07b6b5f2a603b1e447edb884/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141934&Signature=aVRpNRNyX49eDpcMpZZeyWs5-YK8ReTUEZ4nMrqMfIIA1aoaGrUA4a~4~66949TaR2GOXVsYmBoKW9XiWpkfcM5m8mY2yd~AiQRcYYKi8MhPbEp3sOu2Ns10UAOoCqjRaCeRj~ccta~cE2CQgOEsdgicKS~yvJfyNlLUgdrhxdVO14sq~jU8wFsRawrPC~-IDKx958lZUJ7KLffBj2cLsf7NXZFjXtOwbNFsMb4h6lrz~RWrjWRWuP2PFwP3glHPVZlAADj9t1~Ev9OaFiblIa68wSQ6Aa29qgRmK47VdBjDfDjD6wCJ4mGuqNMA9MT131-qw-Ee1usT2FxFs~5G8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Norwalk Board of Education Superintendent Alexandra Estrella told the board Tuesday that Norwalk Public Schools still faces roughly a $6.7 million operating shortfall for fiscal year 2026 and outlined additional central‑office reductions and a reorganization of special‑education leadership intended to help close the gap.

“This has not been about mismanagement or spending beyond our needs,” Estrella said, arguing that the district made “intentional investments” to address interrupted learning and student mental‑health needs but now must respond to the expiration of federal COVID relief and rising costs. “We have close to $7,000,000 that we still have to reduce in our budget,” she said.

Why it matters: The district’s operating budget is roughly $233 million as approved earlier this year, Estrella and Chief Financial staff said, and the board must find additional reductions or supplemental revenue before the start of the next fiscal year. Estrella and finance staff said some federal and state grant funding remains uncertain and that the district is pursuing any available supplemental funding from the city and state while seeking to avoid additional school‑level reductions.

Key facts and decisions

- The district reported a remaining gap of about $6.7 million after earlier rounds of reductions and updated insurance and benefit cost estimates. Finance staff said insurance premiums (state and Cigna plans) increased, which added about $2.4 million to projected costs. The board earlier approved an operating budget request and the city set a cap that created the reconciliation need.

- To reduce costs the superintendent proposed a central‑office reorganization that includes eliminating some positions (an IT technician in digital learning, an NFEP health office aide position, and others) and not filling one curriculum education‑administrator role in STEM for the coming year.

- Special‑education supervision will be restructured: the district plans to move from nine special‑education administrators to five, while creating three assistant‑director roles to provide districtwide professional‑capacity building and support for complex PPTs (planning and placement team meetings). District staff described the change as an attempt to preserve school‑level programs and avoid returning to schools for further reductions.

- District leaders said carryover funds and potential state excess‑cost (special education) allocations may reduce the shortfall but cannot be relied on to close the full gap. Finance staff said the district expects to use most available carryover funds this year to cover special‑education overages.

Public comment and board reaction

Lynn Moore, speaking on behalf of NASA, told the board she was told by district leaders that special‑education positions were being cut and raised concerns that the district provided no written plan for how services would be maintained. Moore said three special‑education administrators have pending arbitration against the district and called the changes “vindictive and reckless.”

Board members expressed concern about the difficulty of reducing staff and the consequences for programs. Several members praised cabinet staff for taking on extra work and delaying raises to limit job cuts; others pressed for a clear map of all current positions after the reorganization.

Formal action

The board approved a consent motion to adopt the position eliminations and position creations reflected in the superintendent’s FY‑26 operating budget update presentation. The motion was moved by Mary Ellen Clary Ludwig and seconded by Sherry McCready Pritchett; the board recorded the consent approval as unanimous.

What happens next

District staff said they will continue to seek additional state and city support, pursue grants where available, and implement the central‑office reorganization. The district also said current special‑education staff will be eligible to apply for the newly posted assistant‑director roles and that any placements will follow the district’s established hiring and placement rules. Superintendent Estrella and finance staff will return with additional budget updates as state and federal funding decisions become clearer.

Ending note

Board members asked staff to provide a complete organizational “map” showing eliminated and created positions after the reorganization so the public and board can see the district’s staffing baseline going into next year.","Superintendent Alexandra Estrella told the Norwalk Board of Education the district still needs about $6.7 million to balance the FY‑26 operating budget and outlined additional central‑office reductions including a restructuring that reduces special‑education administrators from nine to five.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board adopts visitor, breastfeeding and graduation requirement updates; capstone becomes optional, financial literacy required

Board approves two student trips after debate over timeliness and safety; vote splits 5‑3

Norwalk schools face $6.7 million shortfall; district to cut central-office and special-education supervisory posts