Milford Parents and Residents Express Anger Over School System at Public Information Session

Parents and residents expressed their frustration with the quality of education in Milford at the second informational session held this month by the Milford Board of Education, the New Haven Register reports.

The session was meant to give speakers a chance to pose questions about the proposed long-range plan to discuss declining enrollment in the Milford Public Schools.

According to the presentation delivered by the board at the previous informational session, there are 6,200 students spread across 14 buildings in Milford public schools. Based on trends, enrollment is expected to decline further to only 5,384 students in 2020-21.

The long-range plan would include a K-5 elementary school configuration beginning September 2015, a system-wide redistricting to rebalance enrollment at the elementary school level, having preschool classrooms in more than one site and the closing of Harborside Middle School in 3-5 years.

At the previous public information session held on Sept. 23, residents and parents were opposed to the idea of closing Harborside and were skeptical about the proposed redistricting. Speakers responded positively to the return to a K-5 elementary school system.

At the session held at Foran High School, speakers held the same sentiments, the Register reports.

According to the paper, comments at Monday’s sessions included parents and residents saying that despite the increase in spending on education, there were no real results to show for it. Residents said teachers in the system were not sending their own children to city schools, and many families had left for districts with better school systems.

The board is expected to vote on a final decision at their next meeting on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.

Read more at the New Haven Register.

Image via Shutterstock

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