The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received September 21, 2026.
My family moved to Higganum in 1988 in large part because of the reputation of the school system. And over time, the quality of the education has remained high, but sadly, the physical facility at HKHS has fallen behind and now faces a loss of accreditation. It is not ADA accessible, lacks a sprinkler system, and lacks security features now needed in this age of school shootings. And the building’s infrastructure is wearing out. There are leaking roofs, the HVAC system is unreliable, and the building lacks insulation and energy efficient windows which continues to add to our operating expenses.
Repairs need to be done. They cannot be put off. But rather than undertaking an expensive, patchwork approach, we have an opportunity to do a significant renovation project with the help of a $74.8 million contribution from the state. All repairs and modernization issues will be addressed, and our towns will benefit for many years to come.
Scott MacDonald, Higganum
The CGA (Connecticut General Assembly) website is a place to go where legislators can request background information from researchers in the Office for Legislative Research (OLR) to fill them in on various issues. OLR researchers are charged with being objective and non-partisan. The results are available to the public. Imagine, for example, that there is a legislator who wants to know about school accreditation. That legislator may submit a question to the OLR and get answers. Below is an example centered around the NEASC and accreditation with direct quotes and attribution.
“While several schools have faced warnings or been placed on probation over the decades (such as Hartford Public High School in 1997, which ultimately avoided losing its accredited status), the NEASC and the Connecticut General Assembly confirm that no operational public high school in the state has actually been stripped of its accreditation. Accreditation membership is voluntary for public schools in Connecticut, and none have had their status terminated.”
NEASC ACCREDITATION By: Hendrik DeBoer, Research Fellow for Connecticut General Assembly) Published April 9, 2012. You asked a series of questions regarding New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation. They are restated and answered below.
IS NEASC ACCREDITATION STATE OR FEDERALLY MANDATED? Neither state nor federal law mandates that schools be accredited by NEASC or any other accrediting agency. State law does require that the board of education for any public school that is NEASC-accredited disclose the accreditation reports to the public (C.G.S. § 10-239j).
HOW MANY HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT HAVE LOST THEIR NEASC ACCREDITATION? Although some schools have been placed on probation, no high schools, other than those which have closed, have lost their NEASC accreditation in Connecticut within the last 20 years, according to the NEASC.
I happen to know more than a little bit about this issue as I participated in the first 3 NEASC accreditation reviews in 1980, 1990, and 2000; in fact, in both 1990 and 2000 the superintendent and building principal appointed me to be the chairman of the entire accreditation process for HKHS.
Additionally, while it’s true that the district has a waiver for state funding for this proposal, the way it is being pitched makes it sound as though this is the only time we could possibly get a waiver. Is there a law limiting the number of times that a school district can get a waiver? There is not. Once again the OLR answer: “Connecticut Office of Legislative Research (OLR) reports and underlying state statutes do not place a flat numerical limit on the total number of administrative or funding waivers a school district can request or obtain from the state.”
It’s true that there is a big need for updates in the building, especially for the HVAC system, and those should be addressed soon. Are there less costly alternatives for people in the district who may be squeezed by the big cost that a nearly $152 million proposal like this brings with it? There certainly are. Haddam people need to know the truth about some of these issues to make intelligent choices for them and their families in a time where affordability is a big concern. So let’s get the facts straight about the NEASC accreditation issue and the number of times a district can apply for a waiver and not be fear driven by those issues.
From OLR: “Yes, Connecticut’s District Repair and Improvement Project (DRIP) program can cover minor capital repairs, improvements, and maintenance for public school buildings, which can include related infrastructure. However, dedicated state funding for major HVAC system upgrades and indoor air quality projects in Connecticut public schools is primarily handled through the state’s school construction grant process (into which the former dedicated HVAC grant program was merged for monthly, rolling applications managed by the Department of Administrative Services) rather than the minor-repair-focused DRIP fund.”