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Candidates say special education, mental-health services need urgent staffing and funding boosts
Summary
At a Waterbury Public Schools superintendent forum, three finalists emphasized expanding programs and staffing for special education and student mental health, citing rising costs, local shortages and the need for regional partnerships and a needs assessment.
Three finalists for Waterbury Public Schools superintendent told a community forum that expanding special-education and mental-health services — especially for students with autism — requires an immediate needs assessment, more staff and new funding strategies.
All three candidates framed the issue as both programmatic and fiscal: Dr. Schwartz, the district's interim superintendent, said, “Special education costs have gone up $10,000,000 in 5 years.” The candidates described gaps in staffing, program capacity and coordination that they said leave some students in settings that do not meet their needs.
Why it matters: Candidates said unmet special-education and mental-health needs affect student safety, learning and family stability. Dr. Lewis argued that schools must build “ecosystems of support” and partner with…
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