Education and Special Education
Preserving Excellence in Education
Strong schools are one of the greatest strengths of the 26th District. Families move to our towns because they value academic excellence, dedicated teachers, involved parents, safe classrooms, and opportunity for every child.
Alma believes we must preserve and strengthen that excellence.
As a mother of four and a member of Westport’s RTM Education Committee, Alma understands how deeply parents care about their children’s future. She also understands that education policy must be practical, locally responsive, and focused on students.
Alma believes strong schools are the foundation of strong communities. As a mother of four and an elected RTM member in Westport, she understands that education decisions affect every family, every taxpayer, and every town.
Alma has not just talked about supporting education, she has helped do the work. As an RTM member, she has voted on school budgets and major education investments, including funding for the new Long Lots Elementary School in Westport.
Alma believes our towns must continue to invest in safe, modern, high-quality schools while also being responsible to taxpayers. She will bring that same balanced approach to Hartford: supporting students, respecting parents and teachers, strengthening special education, and protecting local decision-making.
Alma will fight to:
- Preserve high academic standards.
- Support parents, students, teachers, and local boards of education.
- Keep schools safe, strong, and focused on learning.
- Protect local input in education decisions.
- Support responsible school funding.
- Fund & Strengthen services for students with special needs.
Special Education Funding
Special education is not optional. It is a legal, moral, and educational responsibility.
Too often, local districts are left struggling to meet growing special education needs without adequate support from the state. This places pressure on school budgets, taxpayers, families, teachers, and students.
Alma believes Connecticut must do more to responsibly fund special education so that every child receives the services they need without forcing towns to shoulder the burden alone.
Alma will advocate for:
- Increased state support for special education.
- More predictable and responsible special education funding.
- Relief for local taxpayers and school districts.
- Services that help students succeed.
- Respect for families navigating the special education process.
- Better planning so towns are not left with unexpected costs.
Alma’s view: Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
Alma's October 3, 2022 Comments to the Westport Board of Education
Alma has always supported the First Amendment and believes strongly in the freedom to read. Her concern was never about a book's viewpoint or the removal of any title from the library. It was about whether it is appropriate for sexually explicit material, including content describing how to find sexual partners online, to be prominently displayed and marketed to students as young as 12 and 13 years old.
As Alma said at the meeting: "It is one thing to have books available; it is another to market them so aggressively." She asked the Board to consider that a public school, funded by every taxpayer whether or not they have children enrolled, has an obligation to weigh parents' concerns about what is placed in front of young children, separate from any question of what belongs on a library shelf.
Alma believes parents and school boards can find common-sense, common-ground solutions on questions like this one, the same "Meet Me in the Middle" approach she will bring to Hartford as State Senator.
