NEW HAVEN, CT — On Friday, May 30, approximately 300 New Haven students walked out of their classrooms and marched to the New Haven Green, demanding increased education funding and protesting looming school budget cuts that threaten their schools’ stability and equity.
Students from Wilbur Cross High School, Metropolitan Business Academy, the Sound School, and Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) participated in the demonstration. They voiced concerns over deteriorating school conditions, potential staff layoffs, and the lack of resources compared to wealthier districts.
“I felt that I have been cheated out of having an equal opportunity as other students from other districts,” said Oren Mendieta, a student at Wilbur Cross High School. ESUMS senior Ambar Santiago-Rojas emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We are here today because the future of our education, and the future of millions of kids across this country, is on the line.”
The protest follows the New Haven Board of Alders’ recent approval of a $703.76 million city budget, which included a $5 million increase in public school funding. However, this falls short of the $23.2 million increase requested by the Board of Education to address a projected $16.3 million deficit for the 2025–26 school year. Superintendent Madeline Negrón has warned that without additional funding, the district may have to eliminate up to 129 positions, including teachers, instructional coaches, and support staff.
Mayor Justin Elicker expressed support for the students’ advocacy but urged them to find alternate methods of protest that do not involve missing school. “We’re asking the governor to loosen the fiscal guardrails, to release some of this huge pile of money to help support our kids,” Elicker said.
The New Haven students’ demonstration is part of a broader movement advocating for equitable education funding across Connecticut. Earlier this year, students from New Haven, New London, and Hartford testified at a legislative hearing in support of SB1511, a bill aimed at increasing the state’s Education Cost Sharing formula to better support students with greater needs.
As the state faces decisions on budget allocations, New Haven students and educators continue to advocate for the resources necessary to provide a quality education for all.
