Good morning, CharterFolk.
Today we are please to present a Contributor Column from John Taylor, the CEO of Elevate Charter Schools.
We provide a brief bio for John below.
John Taylor is the CEO of Elevate Charter Schools, the management partner of the Danbury Charter School, a public charter school approved by the State of Connecticut in 2018. He has led efforts to open the school in collaboration with families, educators, and community advocates across Danbury.
What Happens When Politics Blocks a School? The Danbury Story
Danbury Charter School (DCS) stands ready to serve the community. We have secured a building, developed a comprehensive curriculum, and partnered with an experienced operator who has a proven track record. Yet, despite our preparedness, we lack the essential state funding to open our doors. This is particularly disheartening given that another biennial budget has passed in the Connecticut legislature without allocating a single dollar for our school.
The root of this issue is not our readiness or the community’s demand for our services; it is politics, plain and simple.
A Fully Approved School, Deliberately Delayed
Since our approval by the state in 2018, we have met every requirement set before us. DCS is designed to provide families in Danbury, especially Black and brown families, with a public school option that reflects their values, languages, and aspirations for their children. Currently, more than 1,000 families are on waitlists for charter schools in Danbury alone, and over 5,000 students are waitlisted statewide, highlighting the urgent demand for quality, choice-based education (Connecticut Charter Schools Association Waitlist Report).
Parents frequently attend rallies, provide testimonies, and repeatedly ask us, “When will this school open?” We wish we had a definitive answer.
Connecticut’s legislature has consistently failed to allocate the relatively modest budget of approximately $6 million annually needed to open DCS. This funding would support a school serving around 500 students with a culturally affirming, dual-language curriculum. While this investment is modest compared to the broader state education budget, exceeding $13 billion annually (Connecticut State Education Budget), the legislature has refused to allocate this funding year after year.
Danbury is now the largest city in Connecticut without a charter school (Danbury Demographics and Education Profile). It is a growing, diverse, multilingual community where nearly 70 percent of public school students are Black, brown, or otherwise students of color (Connecticut State Department of Education Demographics). Many families in Danbury struggle to find educational options that honor their cultures and languages. Our school would provide a culturally affirming, dual-language curriculum to students who often do not see themselves reflected in their education.
This need is particularly critical given the persistent achievement gaps in our state. For instance, Black and Hispanic students score, on average, 20-30 percentage points lower in reading and math proficiency compared to their white peers (CT Academic Performance Reports). Research indicates that high-quality charter schools, especially those focusing on cultural affirmation and language support, have been effective in narrowing these gaps (CREDO National Charter School Study).
Our model was built with the community, not for them. Parents and educators collaborated to design a school that not only meets state standards but also respects and elevates students’ identities and languages.
Our Campaign — and Our Commitment — is Stronger Than Ever
Despite these obstacles, our community remains steadfast in its commitment to opening DCS. We have hosted bilingual events, held town halls, gathered signatures, raised billboards, and continued to engage directly with families and legislators. The energy is palpable. People want this school. They need this school.
Our students deserve a high-quality public education that reflects their culture, supports their language, and prepares them for the future. DCS promises just that.
Support for our cause has also come from across the charter movement—from parents, advocates, and educators who recognize that Danbury represents more than just one school. It is a bellwether. If an already-approved school can be politically stalled indefinitely, what does that say about the promise of school choice in Connecticut?
Nationwide, charter schools serve over 3.7 million students and have grown significantly in recent decades (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools). In Connecticut, charters currently educate about 11,000 students (Connecticut Charter Schools Association) but face funding and political challenges disproportionate to their size.
The failure to fund Danbury Charter School highlights a troubling pattern: political agendas and entrenched opposition often prevent new educational options, especially in diverse communities that stand to benefit the most.
Moreover, the overcrowding in Danbury Public Schools exacerbates the urgency for DCS. With the introduction of the International Baccalaureate Program to the Danbury educational landscape, the need for additional quality educational options has never been more pressing.
What’s at Stake — and What Comes Next
This issue transcends buildings and budgets; it is fundamentally about fairness and equity. If communities organize for years, follow the rules, win approval, and are still denied, then something is deeply broken in the way we fund and prioritize public education. It is not just Danbury that is impacted — it is families across Connecticut whose children are waiting for a chance at a better education.
We are not asking for special treatment; we are asking for the same opportunities that other communities have enjoyed for decades. We can still rectify this situation. We are continuing to build power. We are not merely trying to open a school; we are building a movement that asserts: our voices matter, our children matter, and we will not remain silent while bureaucracy and politics obstruct their future.
To lawmakers and others standing in the way: this issue is not going away. Our coalition is growing, and our resolve is deepening. We will open DCS — and when we do, it will be because a community refused to give up on its children.
Let Danbury lead. Let’s open this school.