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Danbury students urge board for SAT prep, cite underfunding and facility problems at Danbury High School
Summary
Several Danbury High School seniors told the Board of Education they lack school-based SAT preparation and described underfunding that they say affects bathrooms, supplies and learning conditions; students asked the board to fund a free or low-cost SAT program.
Christian Javeri, a senior at Danbury High School, told the Danbury Board of Education on May 20 that students need school-based SAT preparation to remain competitive for college admissions and scholarships. “We27re asking for a school based SAT prep program, free or low cost, taught by instructors who understand the test and how to teach it,” Javeri said during public participation.
The request was part of a series of student comments pressing the board to address what speakers described as chronic underfunding at Danbury High School (DHS). A student identified as Akim Dagan said DHS is the district27s largest but “ironically most underfunded school,” and described classrooms with outdated textbooks and bathrooms in disrepair.
Students tied the lack of resources to equity concerns. Emily Lopez Givens, also a DHS senior, said many families cannot afford private SAT tutoring and that “the amount of money your family has shouldn27t decide how well you do on a test that shapes your entire college career.” The students said funding gaps show up in broken bathroom stalls, limited custodial staffing and teachers purchasing supplies out of pocket.
Board members did not take an immediate vote on a districtwide SAT prep program during the meeting. The public comment period included multiple students presenting similar concerns and suggestions; the board thanked speakers and heard administrative updates on other agenda items.
The students urged options for scheduling (during or after school) and emphasized that a program could raise scores, confidence and scholarship access. The board did not announce a specific next step for the request at the meeting, and no formal motion to create an SAT-prep program was recorded.
