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By Abby Hare
Somerville Public School Parent

You may hear that Somerville has proposed a “generous” school budget. Before accepting that claim, it’s worth looking at what is actually being funded—and what isn’t.

First, much of the budget increase is not new investment. It covers contractual salary increases, rising costs, and long-overdue funding for substitute coverage. These are important expenses, but they largely maintain existing operations rather than expand services for students.

The administration has also highlighted the addition of special education positions. But those positions are not educational enhancements or “extras.” They are part of an effort to meet existing legal obligations and address longstanding staffing needs.

The administration is also proposing additional math interventionists. That’s a positive step. The question is whether it is enough. Recent MCAS results show that many Somerville students are still not meeting grade-level expectations in reading and math. In response to those results and other documented student needs, the School Committee voted to add six additional positions—interventionists and special education co-teachers.

Those positions were identified by the School Committee as necessary investments to improve student outcomes. Yet they are not included in the Mayor’s budget.

This raises a larger question: who gets to decide what constitutes a sufficient school budget?

The School Committee is the elected body charged with overseeing the school district. It exists to represent students, families, educators, and the educational needs of the community. If the School Committee determines that additional staffing is necessary to meet student needs, its judgment should carry significant weight.

Instead, under the current system, one person can effectively override that determination.  This matters beyond any single budget year.

Taken together with recent debates over youth programming and teen spaces, many families are beginning to ask whether Somerville’s priorities are becoming increasingly disconnected from the needs of children and young people.

You do not need to agree with every budget request to see the concern. The issue is whether we are willing to accept a system where:

-Student outcome data points to significant need.
-The elected School Committee votes to address that need.
-The requested investment represents a relatively small share of the overall city budget.

And yet one person can decide those needs are not a priority.

That is not simply a school funding debate. It is a question about accountability, priorities, and whether Somerville’s children have a meaningful voice in City Hall.