Early Childhood

Every child deserves a strong start. Connecticut Democrats are committed to building a universal early care and education system, from infancy through pre-K, delivered through public schools, community providers, and family childcare homes. We are committed to ensuring quality and sustainability by investing in educators, setting high standards, and building a system that supports children's development and prepares them for lifelong success.

No family should pay more than 7% of their income for care. For families earning under $100,000, it should be free. This approach ensures that cost is never a barrier while giving families real choices, supported by sustained investment through Connecticut's Early Childhood Education Endowment.

K–12 and Beyond

Connecticut Democrats believe a high school diploma should be a launchpad, not a finish line. We support connecting K–12 schools directly to college pathways, workforce training, and career-connected learning so graduates are ready for whatever comes next. We believe every Connecticut high school graduate should be equipped with 21st-century skills and global competence to compete successfully in today's workforce.

We are committed to equitable school funding, strong student and family support, promoting classroom innovation, and ensuring every community has the resources needed to help young people thrive. We support a coordinated education system that connects K–12 schools with higher education, workforce training, trade schools, and career pathways, expanding access to rigorous academics, career-connected learning, and dual enrollment opportunities so students graduate prepared for both college and in-demand careers.

We're committed to growing our technical schools and trade programs tuition-free, because a good-paying job shouldn't require a lifetime of debt. And we will keep working to recruit and retain a diverse educator workforce because who teaches matters as much as what gets taught.

Public Education

A meaningful and purposeful public education is foundational to everything we believe: individual opportunity, shared prosperity, and a functional democracy where we all participate fully. Connecticut Democrats believe it is the state and federal government's responsibility to ensure that every child receives that education, no matter who they are, what they believe and where they live.

That means recognizing and improving how we fund our schools and our commitment to closing fund gaps that have held students back and making universal pre-K available to everyone.

We must modernize Connecticut’s education funding formulas to ensure fairness, predictability, and long-term stability for municipalities while addressing the rising costs of special education, transportation, and student support services, including universal state-funded meals in schools.

Mental health support in schools isn't optional; it's essential. Unaddressed mental health issues are an obstacle to learning, and continued investment in school-based mental and behavioral health staff, for both preventive and emergency care, is not only essential but our responsibility. So are the arts, which we believe belong in every school, not just those that can afford them. They enrich learning across subjects and give voice to children who have not yet found another way to express what they are living through.

Every student living with disabilities deserves a fully funded, inclusive public education that meets their individual needs. We support expanded special education funding, stronger transition-to-adulthood services, increased special education staff, and improved access to mental health care, assistive technology, and early intervention programs.

Teachers and educators are essential and deserve our full respect and gratitude as they teach critical thinking, use age-appropriate health and wellness materials, teach historically accurate information, and create culturally and racially reflective classrooms. We support growing our technical school system, recruiting women and people of color into good-paying trades, and working toward tuition-free community colleges and trade schools for all.

We stand with Connecticut's educators, administrators, and school employees. We support increasing wages to keep up with the rising cost of living, and we promise to work alongside teachers, parents, and communities to keep strengthening public education in every corner of this state.

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