The Cambridge Public Schools district is at a pivotal moment. We are tackling the opportunity gaps that widened during Covid; we are experiencing a significant leadership transition in the Central Office; we are facing the closing of a beloved elementary school; and we are managing all these challenges in a national and global period of turmoil, uncertainty, and fear.
Responding to this unique moment, a diverse coalition of 40-plus caregivers, educators and community members representing the full spectrum of school communities in Cambridge, decided to band together. In defiance of the oft-repeated narrative that educators and parents are opposing forces, we are developing trusting relationships grounded in authentic dialogue, shared values and a common vision of what our public schools can be. We formed the “Solidarity Squad” to break down barriers between caregivers and educators and to amplify our collective role in district decisions, big and small.
The development of the district budget is an annual opportunity to reflect on what’s working in our schools and what we need to do to make them better. Like all budgets, the district’s is a moral document that reflects our city’s values and priorities for Cambridge children and their families. Through countless conversations with our individual school communities and a citywide forum in November, the Solidarity Squad has developed a “People’s Budget” that includes a set of budget priorities for interim superintendent David Murphy and his team to consider for inclusion in fiscal 2026. These priorities reflect the urgent needs our students face, synthesized by adults who know and love them best: caregivers and educators.
In anticipation of a meeting with Murphy on Wednesday, we want to share the key budget priorities of the People’s Budget with the wider community:
- An equitable transition process at the closing Kennedy-Longellow School
- Increased paraprofessional staffing in our elementary schools
- Additional staffing in the Office of Special Education
- Evidence-based community engagement using the Karen Mapp Dual-Capacity Framework
- Additional support for student AP Exams, travel and literacy at the high school and extension program
- Investment in facilities improvement at the Fletcher-Maynard Academy
We look forward to partnering with the district administration to develop more equitable, ground-level funding at every school across the district. In previous years, when the public asked for additions to the annual school budget, we typically heard some version of “to pay for that, you have to take something away.” While we agree that some areas in the district budget could be trimmed (consultant contracts, tech platforms, expensive data management systems), we challenge this zero-sum approach.
Finally, while the Solidarity Squad is focusing on FY26’s budget priorities, our collective vision extends far beyond this. We believe that the district’s annual budgeting process and significant decisions must include true, robust community engagement in the future. We – educators, caregivers and district leaders – share a common goal: We want all Cambridge kids to thrive. The Solidarity Squad believes this goal can be achieved if we all commit to working together.
We also seek to engage many more stakeholders in this ongoing conversation. To get more information about the Solidarity Squad, check out our website. If you have any feedback on our budget priorities or you would like to join us, please contact us.
Frank Barnes, community leader and activist
Anne Coburn, caregiver at Kennedy-Longfellow, K-Lo School Equity Council representative and K-Lo caregiver advocate
Karen Engels, educator at Graham & Parks, caregiver at the Darby Vassall Upper School and Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
Amber Fisher, caregiver at the Rindge Avenue Upper Campus
Kathy Greeley, retired educator and former caregiver, Cambridge Retired Educators United
Jessica Goetz, caregiver at Darby Vassall Upper School and member of the school’s Friends organization
Nora Grodzins, paraprofessional at Graham & Parks, former caregiver, Cambridge Education Association member
Carrie Jung, caregiver at K-Lo and the Putnam Avenue Upper School
Becca Lester, caregiver at the Darby Vassall Upper School
Tina Lieu, caregiver at the RAUC and CRLS; affiliated with, but not speaking for the CRLS School Council (co-chair); Cambridge Families of Asian Descent (co-leader); North Cambridge Courageous Conversations (co-leader); Families of RAUC member
Lilly Havstad, caregiver at Graham & Parks, school council representative
Andrew King, district alum, Our Revolution Cambridge
Dan Monahan, CEA president
Chris Montero, educator at CRLS, CEA member
Caitlin O’Donnell, caregiver and, educator at FMA, CEA member
Missy Page, caregiver at the Haggerty School, Friends of Kennedy-Longfellow, K-Lo Caregiver Advocate, former K-Lo School Equity Council representative
Lily Read, CRLS
Caroline Williams, caregiver at Cambridgeport and CSUS
A stronger
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Thanks for writing and laying this out.
I didn’t see an actual budget on the website. Am I missing that? Or is that still forthcoming?
Why would you challenge that some of the things suggested here (which cost money) need to be funded? Either by cuts elsewhere or increased revenue from Cambridge tax payers. That seems like basic logic.
Very impressive work. I echo the first comment’s question about how the suggestions in the peoples budget translate into the $budget. Happy to help, I work in budgeting and have sent a note to the group
@cportus: The FY26 budget will be presented at the 3/12 SC meeting.The City has allocated $280.25M to CPSD for FY26. We agree! It is absolutely basic logic, but it is not at all how CPSD/SC have been operating.The City tells CPSD their allocated budget amount in Dec, CPSD builds a budget around that limit, it’s presented to SC in Mar & approved in Apr.The current & historical zero-sum approach by CPSD/SC is to respond to proposed funding requests by saying “we can’t add that unless we take something away.”
@cportus (cont’d): If CPSD believes these are items that need to be prioritized-& they have made a good faith effort to cut expenses-then they can & should ask the City for more money.CPSD doesn’t have to just take the amount they are given & build it from that-they could build a budget that meets the needs of all CPSD kids & make the case that this is what Cambridge needs to support all students. The status quo that has been going on for so long is not working & it’s time to do things differently.
@cc: Our priorities are items that educators & caregivers want to see added to the budget in order for our schools to be equitably & adequately supported. Current & past budgets have not moved us closer to providing all CPSD kids with what they need; and there is not currently a mechanism in place for educators & caregivers to communicate their priorities to CPSD – i.e. emails to the SC are consistently unanswered, public comment at meetings is one-way only & limited to 2 or 3 mins, & CPSD’s “Community Budget Meetings” include a presentation by CPSD focused on how the budget process works. The Solidarity Squad came together to identify the specific needs & communicate as one voice to CPSD/SC. We’re so glad you are interested in joining us!