Somerville Educators Rally For More Funding

SOMERVILLE, MA — District educators gathered outside East Somerville Community School on Cross Street this week to advocate for more funding for the district in the city’s municipal budget.

The Somerville Educators Union is requesting a 10% increase in funding compared for fiscal year 2025, which equals approximately a $5 million increase. The protestors hope the additional funding will facilitate smaller class sizes and increase minimum salary for teachers to $50,000 per year. The protest took place during a School Committee budget hearing on Wednesday.

Winter Hill Community Innovation School educator Megan Brady believes the city could afford this potential budget increase.

“Since 2019, the Free Cash in this City has nearly doubled to about $33 million! Somerville has the money to pay their employees living wages AND support all of its students with exemplary class sizes and staffing,” Brady said. “This is an investment we know our city can afford, and an investment that means we live out our values, instead of just talking about them.”

Contract negotiations between the SEU and School Committee are ongoing, as the current contracts are expiring in August.