EDUCATION

Our schools are struggling, and we owe it to our kids and working families to act now. As Chair of the Torrington Board of Education since 2023, Ed knows we deserve more than we’ve been getting. It’s time to take the fight for good schools to Hartford, and Ed is the only candidate in this race who knows what our kids need to succeed.

The State of Connecticut has frozen the Education Cost Sharing formula since 2013, and every year that goes on our property taxes rise and our students fall further behind. It’s time to fix the problem where it starts: In Hartford. Ed will fight in Hartford for a comprehensive reform of the ECS formula, including adding in funding for special education services, which the current formula does not fund.

But it takes more than just money. A cell phone and AI ban in schools must be passed into law to keep our kids away from toxic algorithms and dangerous language models. Furthermore, Ed will stand up against low education standards by introducing a bill to ban social promotion in our schools. He’ll also fight for better quality school meals and a reduction in screen time for our students so they can focus on learning.

It’s also time to reform the school construction and capital improvement process. Torrington and countless other towns & cities are sitting on massive maintenance backlogs, creating outdated and even dangerous environments for our students and teachers. It’s time for the state to pick up the tab for a greater share of school improvement costs to keep Connecticut’s education at the cutting edge.

Torrington Public Schools have been nationally recognized for their innovative programs in curriculum and student services, but the State of Connecticut doesn’t have a mechanism to fund communities that innovate. Ed will introduce legislation to create school innovation grants to encourage our schools to innovate the way we educate, provide services, and design curriculum. Torrington should be rewarded for being at the forefront of public education.