NHPS Board Meetings, Enrollment, School Choice & 2026–27 Family Help
New Haven Board of Education information is spread across NHPS, New Haven municipal records and a newer Diligent meeting system. This guide organizes the current Board structure, meeting records, committees, district office and 2026–27 school resources in one practical place.
Families can also use it to distinguish registration from School Choice, request a transfer, solve a high-school bus problem, use PowerSchool, obtain health records, access McKinney-Vento protections, manage food-allergy needs and request the correct public or student record.
New Haven Board of Education Connecticut at a glance
District
New Haven Public Schools (NHPS).
District office
54 Meadow Street, New Haven, CT 06519.
Main phone
Fax
203-946-7300.
Superintendent
Dr. Madeline Negrón.
Board President
Dr. OrLando Yarborough III.
Regular pattern
Typically second and fourth Monday.
Typical meeting time
5:30 p.m.; live notice controls.
Wrong-district warning: this guide covers New Haven Public Schools in Connecticut. It is not New Haven Unified School District in California.
New Haven does not use a simple seven-member elected Board
Current public records show a mixed governance structure. The regular Diligent meeting roster contains seven adult Board participants, while municipal records also provide two student-representative positions.
Elected district members
New Haven has elected Board representation associated with District 1 and District 2.
Mayoral / ex-officio representation
Other adult seats are filled through New Haven’s municipal appointment structure, and the Mayor participates ex officio.
Student representation
Two student-representative positions are included in the broader City Board roster.
Diligent regular roster
The current regular-meeting portal lists seven adults; student representatives are not displayed in the same member list.
Why this matters: a page that merely says “there are seven Board members” misses the student seats. A page that simply says “nine members” without explaining why the Diligent meeting roster shows seven adults is also incomplete.
Adult New Haven Board of Education members
The current Diligent regular-meeting roster identifies these seven adult participants.
| Member | Board route | Current context |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Edward Joyner | Elected — District 1 | Also appears in Governance, Head Start, School Facilities Naming and Teaching & Learning records. |
| Andrea Downer | Elected — District 2 | Also participates in Finance & Operations, Governance and Citywide School Building work. |
| Matthew Wilcox | Mayoral appointment | Current Finance & Operations Chair and active on multiple committees. |
| Dr. OrLando Yarborough III | Mayoral appointment | Board President. Also participates in Finance & Operations and other committee work. |
| Dr. Abie Quinones-Benitez | Mayoral appointment | Current Diligent roster displays the shortened form “Dr Abie Benitez.” |
| Daniel F. Juarez | Mayoral appointment | Diligent identifies him as a member of the New Haven Board of Education. |
| Justin Elicker | Mayor / ex officio | Participates in regular and special Board meetings through the municipal governance structure. |
Do not reuse an old Board email list. Board membership and appointments change, and old search results can contain former members. Verify the current Board/member page before addressing formal correspondence.
Use NHPS Board information together with the current Diligent regular-meeting member list.
Open NHPS Board member information →Verify the Diligent regular-meeting roster →
Student Board representatives require an extra freshness check
Abdellah Aly
The municipal Board roster lists Abdellah Aly as a student representative with a term extending through June 30, 2027.
2026 incoming student seat
NHPS announced on May 29, 2026 that Wilbur Cross student Daniela “Dani” McTiernan Huge won election to become the next student representative when another student seat became vacant.
Why an old name may still appear: municipal roster data can retain the outgoing student member’s expired term during the rollover period. For the second student seat, use the newest NHPS announcement/current meeting record instead of permanently copying an older roster.
Board issue, district issue or school issue?
| Issue | Best first route | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Board policy | Board Policies | Use the adopted policy—not a social post or an old discussion. |
| Upcoming Board vote | Diligent agenda | Meeting materials show what is actually scheduled. |
| New student enrollment | Choice & Enrollment | Registration and placement are administrative enrollment tasks. |
| Current student wants another school | School Transfer Request | This is separate from the annual School Choice lottery. |
| High-school bus | Transportation | 2026–27 uses a new opt-in process. |
| PowerSchool / parent record | School / PowerSchool route | Access depends on the student’s information and family contact data. |
| Medication or immunization | School nurse / Nursing Section | Medical records require a protected health workflow. |
| Student transcript | Student’s current/former school | A transcript is a private student record—not a public FOIA request. |
| Public Board document | Diligent, then City FOIA if needed | Many agendas/minutes are already publicly searchable. |
New Haven BOE meetings: schedule pattern and live verification
Typical schedule
Regular meetings are generally held on the second and fourth Monday of the month.
Typical time
5:30 p.m. for regular Board meetings.
Hybrid participation
Current public records describe regular meetings as hybrid and Diligent supplies remote-access information.
Recent 2026 regular Board meetings
| Date | Record | Useful lesson |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2026 | Regular Board Meeting | Current Diligent archive. |
| June 23, 2026 | Regular Board Meeting | Late-month schedule. |
| June 8, 2026 | Regular Board Meeting | Second-Monday pattern. |
| May 26, 2026 | Regular Board Meeting | Holiday scheduling can shift the usual Monday date. |
| February 23, 2026 | Cancelled | Never calculate the next meeting only from a recurring pattern. |
Always open the current meeting notice. Holidays, cancellations, special meetings and amendments can override the normal schedule.
Diligent is the current NHPS starting point for upcoming/recent meetings, agendas, minutes and public documents.
Open the current NHPS Diligent portal →Diligent is now more useful than an old BoardDocs bookmark
Older New Haven municipal pages and search results can still reference BoardDocs. Current NHPS committee pages, however, direct users to the newer Community/Diligent platform for current materials.
Agenda
Check before a meeting for scheduled topics and attachments.
Minutes
Use for the formal written record after approval/publication.
Document search
Diligent includes a public document library and search function.
Subscribe
The public portal lets users subscribe for email notifications about upcoming meetings.
Useful workflow: subscribe to Diligent if you regularly follow Board activity. It is safer than repeatedly checking an old static schedule or relying on search-engine snippets.
Before speaking or submitting a comment to the Board
Open the exact meeting agenda/notice
Confirm the meeting type, remote-access information and current public-participation instructions.
Do not reuse an old speaker deadline
Public-comment procedures can change. Use the rules attached to the current meeting rather than an old post or petition.
Focus on one Board-level issue
State the issue, the relevant school/policy if necessary, and the action you want the Board to understand.
Protect student privacy
Do not publicly post an IEP, medical diagnosis, Social Security number, student login, custody order or other protected education record.
Individual student emergency? A public Board meeting is usually not the fastest first route for a same-day transportation, health, safety, enrollment or classroom problem. Use the responsible school/district office first.
Which New Haven BOE committee handles the issue?
💰 Finance & Operations
Contracts, agreements, capital projects, finances, operations and related policy review.
📚 Teaching & Learning
Instructional and learning-related Board work.
⚖️ Governance
Board governance, policy and governance-process matters.
🧒 Head Start Subcommittee
Board governance responsibilities connected with Head Start.
🏗️ Citywide School Building & Stewardship
Facilities, school buildings and stewardship matters.
🏷️ School Facilities Naming
Naming and related facilities matters.
🍎 Food Service Task Force
Food-service matters requiring Board/task-force attention.
💵 Budget Mitigation
Budget-mitigation work separate from ordinary Finance & Operations meetings.
💼 Compensation Subcommittee
Compensation-related committee business.
⚠️ Hearing Committee
Special hearing matters with their own meeting notices and records.
Finance & Operations: NHPS currently lists Matthew Wilcox as Chair, with Dr. OrLando Yarborough III and Andrea Downer as members. Regular F&O meetings are generally held on the first and third Monday at 4:30 p.m. via Zoom, except holidays or special circumstances.
Committee schedule ≠ full Board schedule. Always open the committee’s own Diligent/current notice before joining.
Finance & Operations is usually a better starting point than scanning every full Board agenda.
Open NHPS Finance & Operations →Use the Board Policy Manual when you need the actual rule
A meeting discussion, staff presentation or news article does not automatically equal the current adopted policy. NHPS maintains Board policy files organized by series.
Student records
Policy files include Student Records and Confidentiality.
Bus conduct
Student-series policy records include bus-conduct rules.
Bullying & safety
Student-series records include bullying and other student-safety policies.
Transfer / residency
Policy files include student transfer and non-resident enrollment topics.
Medication
Policy records include administering medication and health requirements.
Dietary needs
Policy records include accommodations for students with special dietary needs.
Use the NHPS Board Policies collection rather than quoting an old agenda.
Open NHPS Board Policies →NHPS publishes different calendars for different tasks
The strongest answer to a calendar question is not one copied list of dates. NHPS currently provides separate 10-month, 12-month and Board/committee calendars for 2026–27.
| Calendar | Use it for |
|---|---|
| 2026–27 10-Month District Calendar | Student/family school-day planning, holidays and normal school-year dates. |
| 2026–27 12-Month District Calendar | Year-round district operations and 12-month scheduling. |
| 2026–27 Approved BOE & Committee Meetings | Board and committee schedule planning. |
| Online Calendar | Current district events and updates that may be easier to refresh than a saved PDF. |
Do not use New Haven Unified’s calendar. Confirm the source says New Haven Public Schools, Connecticut and uses the NHPS domain.
Exact-date safety: when a closure, break or last day affects childcare, travel or employment, reopen the current NHPS calendar rather than relying on an image or cached PDF saved months earlier.
NHPS currently links the 10-month, 12-month and approved Board/committee calendars from its main calendar navigation.
Open NHPS and use the Calendars menu →Do not assume every NHPS school uses the same bell time
NHPS maintains a dedicated 2026–2027 School Bell Times resource. Use that current page for school-specific arrival and dismissal planning instead of copying a time from another New Haven school.
School-specific
Start/dismissal times can differ by campus and program.
Transportation connection
Bell time and bus-route timing are related but are not the same thing. Use Transportation for the actual assigned route.
Use the dedicated current NHPS bell-time page.
Check 2026–27 NHPS School Bell Times →New Haven Public Schools address and main contact
Call the responsible department when possible. Enrollment, Transportation, Nursing, Food Service and student-record questions usually have a faster route than calling the main switchboard first.
Registration, School Choice and transfer are three different actions
| Situation | Likely route |
|---|---|
| New student moving into New Haven | Online Student Registration / Choice & Enrollment |
| Family wanted a participating Choice school during the annual lottery | School Choice application during its annual window. |
| Currently enrolled student wants to move to another NHPS school | School Transfer Request if the situation fits that process. |
| Family lacks stable housing / normal documents | Enrollment + McKinney-Vento liaison/support; do not delay solely for missing normal documents. |
| Child is age 3–5 and needs Pre-K | Office of Early Childhood, based on program/eligibility. |
Before starting registration
Use NHPS’s current online registration page rather than an old School Choice form.
Open NHPS Online Student Registration →The normal 2026 School Choice application period is closed
2026 School Choice timeline: applications were accepted from February 2 through March 6, 2026. Lottery results were scheduled for March 31, 2026.
School Choice is open annually to students entering PK3–12, but the normal 2026 application window is now a past deadline.
Old lottery form
Do not treat a cached February/March application as a currently open 2026 action.
Need enrollment now?
Contact Choice & Enrollment for the student’s current registration/placement pathway.
Already enrolled?
A School Transfer Request may be the relevant process rather than School Choice.
Closed lottery does not mean closed enrollment. A family who moves to New Haven after the lottery still needs an education placement route; call Enrollment instead of assuming the child must wait for next year’s lottery.
Use the live district School Choice page for the next annual cycle and current program information.
Open NHPS School Choice Enrollment →NHPS School Transfer requests are reviewed by committee
Complete the transfer e-form
Provide enough detail for the reviewer to understand the reason for the request.
Keep the child attending the current school
NHPS says regular attendance must continue while the request is under review.
Transfer Review Committee considers the request
The committee generally meets monthly and can consult school administrators.
Watch for the decision
NHPS says the response normally takes about one week after the committee meets.
Published 2026–27 review dates
| Date | Status as of Aug. 15, 2026 |
|---|---|
| July 13, 2026 | Past |
| August 20, 2026 | Next listed date |
| September 17, 2026 | Future listed date |
| October 29, 2026 | Future listed date |
| January 21, 2027 | Future listed date |
Official-page wording conflict: the current NHPS transfer page publishes the future dates above and says requests after January 21, 2027 will go to the lottery process, but the same page also says the committee will not meet for the remainder of 2026–27. Because those statements are awkward together, verify the live page or call before depending on a future review date.
Use the live NHPS transfer page for the English/Spanish forms and current review information.
Open NHPS School Transfer →High-school bus service is now opt-in
New for 2026–27: high-school students are not simply assigned bus service automatically under the new system. Families who want high-school bus service need to opt in.
What happens if you missed June 18?
NHPS says late high-school signups may be placed at an existing stop on an existing route. A new stop closer to the student’s home will not be created for a late signup.
No route email yet?
Confirm the student is a high-school student affected by opt-in
Do not apply a high-school rule blindly to a younger student’s route.
Confirm whether the opt-in survey was completed
Ask the parent/guardian who handled transportation registration.
Check the family email used by NHPS
Route information was expected to be communicated by email during August.
Call Transportation if unresolved
Have the student’s school, grade, address, parent contact information and opt-in status ready.
Late signup limitation: submitting late does not guarantee a newly designed stop near your house. The current district notice limits late placement to an existing stop on an existing route.
Use the NHPS Transportation page and call the office for a student-specific route issue.
Open NHPS Transportation →PowerSchool and NHPS family messaging are different tools
PowerSchool
NHPS’s Student Information System and Parent/Student Portal route.
NHPS App / Rooms
Family communication and secure two-way messaging functions are handled through the district’s Apptegy communications system.
Important connection: NHPS’s communications rollout instructed families to log in using the email address or phone number listed in PowerSchool. If Rooms/app access fails, first confirm that the student’s family contact information is correct.
Never post credentials publicly. Do not send a student password, access code or protected student data to an unofficial “PowerSchool support” page.
Use NHPS’s Student Information System page rather than a search-result login advertisement.
Open NHPS PowerSchool information →Head Start and Early Start CT are different NHPS Pre-K programs
Head Start
A free Pre-K program for children who are age 3 or 4 as of September 1 and whose families meet applicable Head Start eligibility requirements.
Early Start CT
A paid Pre-K program for age-eligible 3- and 4-year-olds, with income-based tuition through a sliding fee scale.
Early Childhood enrollment process
Complete centralized online registration
The NHPS Office of Early Childhood manages centralized registration for its programming.
Complete the phone interview
An Early Childhood team member contacts the family to discuss the next steps.
Receive placement confirmation
Families receive placement information by email.
IEP, IFSP, Birth-to-Three or diagnosed disability? NHPS directs families to its Early Childhood Assessment Team (ECAT) for appropriate early-childhood special-services support.
Use the current Office of Early Childhood page for program eligibility, participating schools and the registration portal.
Open NHPS Early Childhood →Missing normal enrollment documents should not block an eligible homeless student
NHPS’s “No Matter What” guidance explains federal McKinney-Vento rights for children and youth experiencing homelessness or unstable housing.
Do not simply tell the family “bring proof of address first.” If the student lacks fixed, regular and adequate housing, ask NHPS to evaluate McKinney-Vento eligibility and support.
The official “No Matter What” page explains the student’s educational rights.
Open NHPS McKinney-Vento guidance →Physicals, immunizations, health records and medication
Physical / immunization records
NHPS says required current Connecticut health assessments and immunization records must be provided for applicable students and grades.
Request a health record
The Nursing Section accepts requests for Immunization Records and Cumulative Health Records.
Medication
Medication cannot be administered at school until the required healthcare-provider authorization and nurse review are completed.
Medication safety: medication must be brought directly to the school nurse by an adult with the original prescription label where applicable. NHPS says not to send medication to school with the child or leave it with staff other than the nurse.
Diabetes, seizure, allergy, asthma or another specialized condition? Contact the school nurse/Nursing Section before the child starts school so an appropriate healthcare plan and staffing arrangement can be discussed.
Use the Nursing Section rather than sending protected health records to a general Board address.
Open NHPS Nursing Section →Food allergies and disability-related meal modifications
NHPS maintains a district Food Allergy Management Plan and a separate process for reasonable meal modifications when a disability limits a student’s diet.
Tell the school nurse
Do not depend on a verbal cafeteria request when a child has a serious allergy or medically necessary dietary restriction.
Complete the applicable care / meal-modification documentation
Disability-related meal changes require the medical documentation specified by the school nutrition process.
Coordinate with Food Service
NHPS says reasonable meal modifications are considered case by case.
Use the current Food Allergy Policy page and involve the school nurse.
Open NHPS Food Allergy Policy →IEP and special-education records need a private student-services route
NHPS provides a dedicated Office of Special Education & Student Services with parent guides, procedural safeguards, transition information and district resources.
Current IEP
Start with the student’s school and special-education team for student-specific services.
Procedural safeguards
Use the district/state parent-rights materials for process and legal-rights information.
Transition
NHPS links Connecticut transition-rights resources for eligible students.
Never put a student’s full IEP or psychological evaluation in a public Board-comment submission. Use protected special-education procedures for student-specific documentation.
Multilingual families have dedicated NHPS resources
NHPS publishes a Parent Bill of Rights for English/Multilingual Learners and maintains an Office of Multilingual Learner Services. Families should request interpretation or translated clarification when a school-choice, enrollment, IEP or disciplinary process is not understood in English.
Practical step: keep copies of translated enrollment instructions, notices and signed forms so the family knows which version of a requirement was followed.
Student record, Board record or City public record?
| You need | Correct starting point |
|---|---|
| Current student’s transcript / academic record | Student’s school office / counseling or records staff. |
| Former student’s transcript | Former school’s current transcript/records process. |
| Immunization / cumulative health record | NHPS Nursing Section. |
| Recent Board agenda or minutes | Diligent Community first. |
| Adopted Board policy | NHPS Board Policies library. |
| Other qualifying City-held public record | City of New Haven CT-FOIA process when appropriate. |
Do not use FOIA to bypass student-record privacy. Student education/health records have separate privacy and release rules even when the school district is a public agency.
How New Haven’s CT-FOIA request process works
Before filing a request, first check whether the Board agenda, minutes or document is already available in Diligent. If the public record is not readily available and is within City custody, New Haven maintains a uniform Connecticut Freedom of Information Act request process.
Describe the public record precisely
Include the department, document type, subject and date range when known.
Submit the request in writing
The City encourages use of its Public Records Request Form so the custodian can clearly understand what is sought.
Watch for acknowledgement or clarification
The City acknowledges requests and may ask the requester to clarify the records being requested.
Records are reviewed for disclosure
The responsible department searches for records and determines whether any portion is exempt under Connecticut FOIA.
First $5 waived
The City states that the first $5 of applicable fees are waived.
Over $10
If reimbursement exceeds $10, payment is required before records are delivered.
Indigency waiver
Requesters who are indigent may request a fee waiver with applicable proof.
No fake deadline: the City’s current public page explains acknowledgement, search, review and applicable fees but does not promise one universal number of days for every request. Complexity and exemptions can affect timing.
Use the current New Haven CT-FOIA procedure after checking Diligent for already-public Board material.
Open New Haven Public Records Request information →Common New Haven school problems and the fastest next step
👥 A website says the Board only has seven members
Fix: distinguish the seven adult members shown in regular Diligent meetings from the broader structure that also includes student representatives.
🎓 You see an expired student representative
Fix: student seats turn over quickly. Compare the City roster with the latest NHPS student-election announcement.
🗓️ You calculated the next Board meeting yourself
Fix: open Diligent. The 2026 archive includes cancellations and schedule exceptions.
📋 An old page sends you to BoardDocs
Fix: use current NHPS/Diligent Community for recent meetings and committee materials.
🎯 You are trying to enter the 2026 lottery now
Fix: the normal School Choice deadline was March 6. Contact Enrollment for the student’s current placement route.
🔄 The student is already enrolled and wants another school
Fix: check the separate School Transfer Request process.
🚌 High-school student has no bus information
Fix: confirm whether the 2026–27 opt-in survey was completed and call Transportation at 475-220-1601.
📍 Family has no normal proof of address
Fix: check whether McKinney-Vento protections apply before delaying school access.
💊 Child needs medication tomorrow
Fix: contact the school nurse now. Provider authorization and nurse review are required before administration.
📄 You need an immunization record
Fix: use the Nursing Section request process and allow the stated 7–10 business days.
🍽️ Child needs a dietary modification
Fix: involve both the nurse and Food Service and complete the applicable medical statement/care documentation.
📂 You need a Board document
Fix: search Diligent before filing a separate CT-FOIA request.
🎓 You need a private transcript
Fix: contact the student’s current/former school rather than using public Board records or FOIA.
📅 A “New Haven” calendar looks different
Fix: confirm it is New Haven Public Schools, Connecticut—not New Haven Unified in California.
Important NHPS phone numbers by task
| Task | Phone | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Main district office | 475-220-1000 | General district routing. |
| Choice & Enrollment | 475-220-1430 / 475-220-1431 | Registration and School Choice questions. |
| Transportation / Transfers | 475-220-1601 | High-school bus and School Transfer questions. |
| Early Childhood | 475-220-1440 | Head Start / Early Start CT. |
| Nursing Section | 203-946-7301 | Health records, medication and medical needs. |
| Food Service Director | 475-220-1611 | Medical meal modification / food-allergy coordination. |
Prepare before calling: have the student’s full name, school, grade, current address when relevant, parent/guardian contact and one clear question ready.
New Haven Public Schools CT vs New Haven Unified CA
Connecticut — this guide
New Haven Public Schools
54 Meadow Street
New Haven, CT 06519
475-220-1000
nhps.net
California — different system
New Haven Unified School District has a separate Board, schools, enrollment process, calendar and website.
Fast identity test: this article should match NHPS + Connecticut + 54 Meadow Street + 475 area code.
New Haven Board of Education FAQs
What is the official New Haven school district?
The school district is New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) in New Haven, Connecticut. The main district office is at 54 Meadow Street, New Haven, CT 06519, and the main phone is 475-220-1000.
Who are the current adult New Haven Board of Education members?
The current Diligent regular-meeting roster lists Dr. Edward Joyner, Matthew Wilcox, Mayor Justin Elicker, Dr. OrLando Yarborough, Dr. Abie Benitez, Andrea Downer and Daniel Juarez. Student representatives are handled separately in the broader Board structure.
When does the New Haven Board of Education normally meet?
Regular meetings are typically held at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of the month in a hybrid format. Always verify the current Diligent notice because cancellations, holidays and special meetings can change the schedule.
Where can I find New Haven Board agendas and minutes?
The current NHPS Diligent Community portal is the best starting point for upcoming and recent meetings, agendas, minutes and public documents. The portal also allows users to subscribe for meeting email notifications.
Can I still apply to the 2026 NHPS School Choice lottery?
The normal 2026 application period ran from February 2 through March 6, 2026, with results scheduled for March 31. Families needing placement now should contact Choice & Enrollment instead of relying on an expired lottery application.
How do I request an NHPS school transfer?
A parent or guardian completes the current School Transfer Request e-form. The Transfer Review Committee reviews the request, which is not guaranteed, and NHPS says a response normally takes about one week after the committee meeting.
Do New Haven high-school students automatically receive bus service in 2026–27?
No. NHPS moved high-school bus service to an opt-in system for 2026–27. The original signup deadline was June 18, 2026. Late applicants may be placed only at an existing stop on an existing route.
Can a homeless student enroll without normal documents?
McKinney-Vento protections may apply. NHPS says qualifying students experiencing homelessness can attend and participate even if documents normally required for enrollment, such as proof of residence, birth certificate, previous school records or medical records, are missing.
How long does an NHPS health-record request take?
NHPS Nursing says requests for an Immunization Record or Cumulative Health Record are generally processed within 7–10 business days. The Nursing Section can be reached at 203-946-7301.
Is a student transcript requested through Connecticut FOIA?
No. A student’s education record follows private student-record procedures. Start with the student’s current or former school. Use Diligent or the City public-record process for qualifying public Board or City records instead.
Final New Haven Public Schools verification checklist
Last reviewed: . This revision checked current NHPS/Diligent meeting records, Board navigation, committee information, 2026–27 calendar resources, School Choice, online registration, transfer guidance, high-school transportation, PowerSchool, Early Childhood, McKinney-Vento, Nursing, food-allergy support, Board policies and the City of New Haven public-record process.
Independent-site notice: BoardofEducations.org is an independent informational guide. It is not New Haven Public Schools, the New Haven Board of Education, the City of New Haven or the Connecticut State Department of Education. Current official notices, policies and student-specific instructions take priority.