Belmont can, and must, increase school funding to give our students the education they deserve. Per-pupil expenditure clearly shows that Belmont lags behind both neighboring and comparable communities. Every bordering town spends more per-student, and only one comparable district spends less.
If Belmont spent just the state average, our schools would receive $10.99 million more. Watertown, for example, invests $8,200 more per student than Belmont. That kind of funding would mean more resources, programs, and support for students.
As educators and residents, we recognize the town’s fiscal challenges, and our capacity and responsibility to do better. Both the governor’s ($340,350) and the senate’s ($683,700) proposed FY2026 Chapter 70 increases reflect a statewide priority: investing more in public education. Belmont must align with this commitment.
In April 2024, Belmont voters approved an $8.4 million override with a 55.8% majority – clear evidence that voters are willing to invest in public services. The vote demonstrates a mandate for sustaining quality education, not austerity. We should not undermine learning to stretch the override beyond its intended three-year scope. The financial reality is that Proposition 2½ increases alone are no longer sufficient to maintain the standards that make Belmont a desirable place to live. Our community made a clear choice to invest more and now it’s time for our policies to reflect that choice.
We are united behind our bargaining priorities:
- Manageable class sizes and caseloads
- Time for planning, collaboration, and reflection
- Cost of living increases that keep pace with inflation
- A living wage for the educators supporting our most vulnerable students
As we end the year without a contract, we ask for your support and advocacy. Let’s work together to make Belmont’s schools a model of excellence and equity.
John Sullivan, on behalf of the Belmont Education Association