A Message from Superintendent Dr. Estrella: Concerning Remarks from BET Member on April 15, 2026

Dear NPS Community,

On Monday, April 20, the Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation will set the final cap on the FY 2026-27 Operating Budget for the City of Norwalk and the Norwalk Board of Education.

The BET is considering a 4.9% increase for the Board of Education. We appreciate that preliminary cap set by the Norwalk City Council, but it still falls $3.8 million short of the BOE’s requested budget of a 6.5% increase.

Before the BET special meeting on Monday, we urge you to advocate for BET to maintain the 4.9% increase and encourage the BET to fully fund the BOE’s 6.5% increase that will allow us to address the remaining gap in funding including providing free meals for all students.

Full funding of the Board’s request is necessary to sustain both critical staffing and the important initiative of free meals for all students without reductions elsewhere.

To contact BET members, please visit the Board of Estimate & Taxation website and click the “Email All Members” button.

Norwalk Public Schools also wants to address deeply troubling remarks made during the Board of Estimation and Taxation (BET) meeting on April 15, 2026.

Our foremost duty is to ensure that every student in this city receives a complete and thorough education, making the most of all resources at our disposal. We are confounded by the suggestion that providing resources for our students could in any way be detrimental to our city.

We believe that our city's strength lies in its unique perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures, a truth demonstrated daily by our students, teachers, staff, and school communities. Therefore, we must object to the following divisive statement, which was made by a BET member at the April 15 meeting around the 45-minute mark (Board of Estimate & Taxation 04-15-2026)

“...For the schools – what do you think will happen when the wealthiest people of this town leave?”

This statement promotes unfair and unsubstantiated narratives that serve only as divisive rhetoric. Our students are not – and not taught – to be exclusionary. All students in our schools share a common culture, working together and reaching for success and toward the mutual goal of graduation.

We are grateful for the Mayor, Common Council and Board of Education's continued support during this budget process. The BOE’s original request of a 6.5% increase is necessary to preserve the essential services and staffing needed to keep our district operating at current levels. We have worked diligently and responsibly to reduce that initial request down to the targeted 4.9% to avoid placing an undue burden on taxpayers. This adjustment was crafted meticulously to continue to protect all student-facing and school building-based resources, ensuring every student has the best education and environment to succeed.

We thank our parents, school staff, and the entire Norwalk community for their continued commitment to making our city a great place to live and learn.

Yours in Partnership,

Dr. Alexandra Estrella, Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools