Teachers, students and parents press New Haven Board of Education for higher pay, safer facilities and staffing during public comment

Teachers, students and parents urged the New Haven Board of Education on Sept. 22 to prioritize a new contract that raises pay, restores staffing and fixes unsafe school facilities.

Public commenters told the board their concerns affect classroom learning and teacher retention. Speakers detailed low take‑home pay, building maintenance problems, ongoing vacancies and rising insurance costs that reduce net pay, and asked the board to make those items central in upcoming contract negotiations and the next budget.

The comments came in the public‑comment portion of the board meeting and were not followed by formal board action. Speakers said they want the board to negotiate a fair contract that increases wages, improves health care affordability, reduces class sizes and ensures maintenance follow‑through for building repairs.

“After 10 years in New Haven, teaching in New Haven with a master’s degree, I still only take home about $1,500 a paycheck,” said Hannah Marshall, a Spanish teacher at New Haven Academy, describing the difficulty of paying rent in the region. “Pay us a decent wage. Pay us hopefully, we can match those other districts.”

Several librarians and specialists described heavy workloads and unsafe buildings. “My room was so hot that Play‑Doh was melting,” said Annalise Jurgensen, a district librarian, noting concerns about heat extremes, black mold and peeling paint in some libraries. She said adequate prep time and improved benefits are needed.

Other teachers described vacancies that left classrooms without certified instructors. Parent Kathy Gonzalez said Nathan Hale was told on Aug. 25 that the school was fully staffed but received notice Sept. 8 that a fourth‑grade section would be without a teacher starting Sept. 15; she said communication to parents has been inconsistent and that for days students were supervised by substitutes without standard classroom supports.

Speakers representing the New Haven Federation and the American Federation of Teachers urged the board to negotiate wages and benefits that allow educators to live in the city without secondary employment, and to address school safety issues — including missing stair treads, broken parking lot lights and nonfunctional staff bathroom locks — as part of any contract or budget planning.

Students and parents said staffing shortfalls are harming instruction. “Our students deserve fully staffed, resourced and well‑maintained schools,” said Teresa Purdy, a business education teacher at Cooperative High School. Multiple speakers said they want the budgeting process to be more transparent so the public can see where tax dollars are allocated.

Board members did not take immediate action on the items raised during public comment; the speakers asked the board to prioritize the concerns in upcoming contract negotiations and the district budget process.

Speakers also repeatedly asked that the board provide clearer and timelier communications to families when vacancies occur and substitutes are placed, including contact details for classroom supervisors during transitions.

The public‑comment block included roughly two dozen speakers representing teachers across grade levels and school buildings, students, and parents. The board moved on to its consent agenda and other formal items after the public‑comment period concluded.

The board’s negotiations team and superintendent will determine the district’s bargaining positions and budget priorities in the weeks ahead; no contract was approved or changed during the meeting.