But, to unlock this pledge, the school will need to be funded in the 2021-23 budget, which is why Mayor Joseph Cavo of Danbury, leaders from Prospect School, and community representatives hosted a joint press conference calling on Governor Ned Lamont to include Danbury Prospect in his executive budget.

The State Board of Education in 2018 authorized the school to open this fall, but the General Assembly has not approved funding. The school would be operated by Prospect Schools, based in Brooklyn, NY, and would educate students in grades six through 12.

Danbury Public Schools are in need of new facilities to support the rapid growth in the city's school-age population, with 770 seats necessary over the next seven years. Building a new school would cost the city over $100 million and take years to open.

"Additionally, Danbury Prospect will offer robust, new education opportunities for Danbury children and serve as an essential component of Danbury's approach to more equitably serving its Latino community. The school offers a diverse-by-design model and the globally recognized International Baccalaureate program," stated Penny Marzulli, Deputy CEO of Prospect Schools.

Prospect Schools is a network of charter schools based in New York. With an 11-year track record of building and operating five successful schools in diverse communities, it has been recognized across the country and internationally for its work.

Currently, Prospect Schools educates 1,500 students in kindergarten through grade 12 with a diverse-by-design model and curriculum shaped by the International Baccalaureate program. In 2020, 99 percent of graduating seniors were accepted at a college or university. At all levels, students regularly outperform their district, city and state counterparts on state examinations.

According to Prospect School officials, the school was founded by educators. Teacher agency is prioritized, and educators have, on average, seven years of classroom experience. Fifty percent of Prospect Schools employees identify as people of color, 90 percent hold advanced degrees, and nearly one third speak a language other than English.

Politically, support for the project has been split along party lines.

Mayor Cavo, a Republican, stated at the press conference that he and former Mayor Mark Boughton had written to Lamont, asking for a meeting to discuss Prospect funding but they have not heard back from the governor.

"Danbury Prospect will be essential to Danbury's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and part of a comprehensive solution to address the increased demand on our school system proactively," said Cavo.

Democratic State Senator Julie Kushner expressed her opposition to the charter school on the Danbury Democratic Town Committee's website: "A charter school would drain much-needed funds from our school budget. Danbury schools would lose state funding for students enrolled in the charter, but still have financial responsibility for many of the charter's operational costs, like buses, school nurses, cafeteria workers."

Gabriela Perez, community organizer, former Danbury Public Schools student and Danbury Prospect advocate, disagrees.

" Governor, you should allow our Black and brown students to receive the same level of education that students in neighboring, more affluent towns receive," she said, adding, "Our community has been loud and clear. Danbury needs and wants a new tuition-free school with international curricula and diverse teaching staff. We want a school that reflects our students.

Prospect Schools officials say state funding is used for annual operating expenses, including building maintenance, school supplies and teacher and staff salaries. Funds from Danbury Public Schools will not be used to fund the school. Danbury Prospect will have its own independent school board composed of parents and community members, including a member of the current Danbury School Board, who will be a full voting member. 

They also state Danbury Public School funds will not be used for their charter school “because the funding for charters comes from a separate line item in the state's budget.”

To that effect, Governor Ned Lamont will have to include 1.2 million dollars in funding for year one of the project, serving 110 sixth graders, in his upcoming executive budget.

"This gift of the building brings an entirely different level to the charter school initiative in Danbury. If we were not to ask the governor and lose this ability to accept this gift, it puts the burden back on taxpayers," said Mayor Cavo.