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Parents and educators urge full funding of Milford Board of Education budget
Summary
Multiple parents and a longtime preschool teacher urged the Board of Finance to fully fund the Board of Education proposal, citing recent academic gains, the harms of prior underfunding and a preference for social workers in schools rather than uniformed SROs for early-childhood needs.
Several parents and a veteran preschool teacher told the Board of Finance at Tuesday's hearing that the proposed Board of Education budget should be fully funded to sustain student progress and avoid repeating past staffing cuts.
Ahlam Jalil, a parent, said the proposed budget "continues to prioritize strong academic programs, student wellness, and a positive school environment where children feel supported." Sky Cornell, another parent, pointed to progress in elementary math as evidence the district is moving in the right direction and warned that three years of not fully funding the education budget "led to layoffs last year in the schools," a consequence Cornell said the city should avoid.
Lauren Mahler said the finance board has a unique role in expressing the city's priorities and urged members to review budget details with an open mind and to prioritize students when making tradeoffs.
Sarah Bromley, a 40-year preschool teacher, urged exploring reassigning some resources from school resource officers to social workers in schools, arguing social workers are often better trained to meet young children's needs and typically cost less. "I could see it as a potential win-win," she said, proposing that social workers could provide support that reduces the need for uniformed officers in some roles.
Those who spoke asked the board to consider the human impact of budget choices on students, staff and programs; no formal vote on the education budget occurred at the meeting, and the board recessed to continue hearings on Feb. 17.
Next steps: the Board of Finance will reconvene Feb. 17 by Zoom to continue deliberations on the mayor's proposed budget and Board of Education requests.
