The New Haven Board of Alders Education Committee drew a near five-hour hearing Tuesday as students, teachers and parents pressed city and school leaders for answers about a growing backlog of maintenance requests across the New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) system.
Concerns voiced about air quality, heating and building repairs
More than 50 facility complaints filed with the school district since August were cited at the meeting, with union leaders and staff presenting photos they say show mold, water damage, vermin and broken equipment in classrooms. The New Haven Federation of Teachers said it submitted 52 maintenance requests to the Board of Education over that period.
Union president Leslie Blatteau said a substantial portion of the complaints are related to environmental conditions in school buildings. According to union figures, 16 of the 52 requests were for overheating, ventilation or air quality problems. Of the remaining 36 complaints, Blatteau said 22 had not received responses by the time of the public meeting.
“We have to invest in our schools, and that includes the physical infrastructure.”
Chief Public School Superintendent Madeline Negron told the committee the district is spending less than required to address the scope of needs, estimating a shortfall of $5 million to $10 million compared with what would be necessary to remedy outstanding maintenance issues.
Shift from outside contractor to in-house maintenance
NHPS officials announced the district’s contract with AMB Industry Groups, a third-party company that performed facilities assessments, ended Wednesday and will not be renewed. Instead, the district plans to move toward an in-house facilities maintenance system, relying on district staff rather than outside contractors to process and fix outstanding requests.
Board members acknowledged they were still sorting through months of backlogged complaints. The district-wide facilities manager position remains unfilled after Dennis Tondalo — who had been appointed in August — resigned after two days on the job, leaving responsibilities dispersed while staff and elected officials weigh how to reorganize maintenance operations.
- 52 total maintenance requests filed by the union since August
- 16 requests related to overheating, ventilation or air quality
- 22 of 36 remaining complaints had not received responses
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Total requests filed | 52 |
| Air quality/heating/ventilation | 16 |
| Other complaints not yet responded to | 22 |
Speakers at the packed City Hall meeting said the backlog has persisted for years and urged the Board of Education and city officials to adopt clear standards for building conditions — including safe classroom temperatures and cleanliness — and to prioritize repairs that affect student health and learning.
Union leaders and some parents expressed skepticism that the transition to an in-house system will resolve long-standing delays without additional funding and dedicated leadership. They questioned whether existing district staff have the capacity to absorb the new work while responding to urgent facilities failures.
Board members and school administrators pledged to review the backlog and provide follow-up on outstanding tickets, but the meeting closed with many attendees still seeking immediate timelines for repairs and greater transparency about how requests will be triaged and tracked going forward.
The dispute over facilities and the move away from a private contractor comes as the district faces pressure to address both safety and instructional needs amid constrained resources. For many teachers and parents at Tuesday’s meeting, quick action and clear accountability measures are the priorities they want to see from the Board of Education and city officials.
