Why we're showing up for the Schools Budget

We're in the middle of the city's budget process timeline, and the city's various departments, including the Schools Department, present their budgets to the city before the city presents its budget back. So there is still time for the community to turn out to show we prioritize education and our students, and we want them to be funded robustly.

We also know, because it's been stated at various school committee-facing meetings, that at this juncture, the Schools Dept has been asked to prepare a budget that represents a 5% year-over-year increase from last year's, and that this is meant to be a "level-service" budget, and that the city has said that this +5% "level service" budget is what is being asked of every city department. 

Superintendent Carmona has shared that +5% doesn't actually get the Schools Dept to level service. To do that, the Schools Dept would need a bare minimum of 1.03% more (so +6.03% YOY in total). That would allow the district to be meeting the needs it currently has and in a way that would put the district in compliance with state and federal regulations with which it is currently not quite in compliance. (The ones of these we know about are to do with English- and multi-language-learners having the right number of weekly sessions with specialists, and the same for students on IEP and 405 specialized education plans.) 

We also know from the Superintendent that if the district were to meet the budget requests made by school leaders and department heads as part of its collaborative budget process -- in which these boots-on-the-ground, expert leaders share their carefully prioritized, data-driven requests with central administration — that would take another 2.3$M, or about another 2% increase over the current budget.

All this is happening against the backdrop of the district/School Committee's ongoing contract negotiations with the Somerville Educators Union, which are very much not just about money and salaries, but will of course include that, as well as requests for headcount/staffing, and much more. (You can read lots about the SEU's platform on their Instagram here, which is rooted in the belief that good working conditions improve students' conditions for learning, and how to improve both.)

My hope here for tonight, and the hope of those of us getting the word out about tonight's meeting, is that people will come out in support for funding our schools, and that that show of people — that is, Somerville residents — who care about education and students and having fully funded, even truly well funded schools, will show the city that we are paying attention and we have priorities.

We believe our electeds' hearts are in the right place, and that they know this needs to be a priority. The city and district are suing the Trump administration for trying to deprioritize schools and education, after all. Let's put our money where our mouth is.

We know that this meeting tonight is a really rare opportunity because usually the city presents to City Council and School Committee separately. It's rare that they present to both bodies in the same room at the same time and get in real time the sort of financial update the finance director of the city is meant to give, per the meeting agenda: "Finance Director, pursuant to Ordinance 2-47, reviewing the financial condition of the City, with revenue and expenditure forecasts, prior to the commencement of the FY 2026 budget process."

The dream would be that from go tonight there is an acknowledgement that 5% just isn't enough for the schools, and that the SPS budget has to start at that bare minimum of +6.03%, because the schools department is not any other department, or a pet project, or a nice to have. 

The fear is that in this time of great financial and government, and existential, uncertainty for so many of us, the city will plead that dire financial straits mean there is nothing that can be done. 

(As an aside, but a very related one, the State House just announced they are moving forward with additional education funding for next year. From this NBC 10 story, "Representatives outlined significant changes to education funding and policy compared to Healey's budget, calling for a minimum school aid amount of $150 per student, compared to $75 per student in Healey's budget, and moving to block any changes to vocational school admissions policies for at least a year." The state is acknowledging that education must be prioritized, even in a tough budget year, even in an uncertain climate, while looking for cuts in other places.)

In terms of what the SC and CC can do:

Though budgetary power rests almost exclusively with the mayor, it is our understanding, from the budget process/battle last year, that the SC can put forward an alternate budget. It's not been done in memory and is something of a nuclear option, but it is in their power to do.

City Council meanwhile, is the body that allocates and moves money around in the budget, so we're looking for their commitment that education and the schools will be prioritized. They have to ratify the budget, and so have a sort of de facto veto power.