This portal has been created to keep the Belmont community updated about the Belmont School Committee's (BSC) ongoing collective bargaining negotiations with the Belmont Education Association (BEA) for a 2025-2028 successor contract.

We will continue to provide updates on this site regularly, as well as via posts throughout the summer on our social media accounts (Facebook: BelmontPublicSchools, and X: @belmontschools).

We encourage you to visit these resources often for the latest updates.

July 28, 2025

Dear Belmont Public Schools Community,

Despite our sincere efforts this summer, it has become clear that we will not reach an agreement with the BEA before the start of the school year.

The size of the BEA’s proposals exceed what the district can sustain without significant cuts to student programs and services. For example, the BEA has proposed raises of 12% to 37% in FY26 alone for Units C and D, followed by 5% increases in each of the two years that follow. Although we understand and respect their desire to advocate for their union members we cannot afford to pay for these proposals without making cuts to staffing and student-facing services. 

But financial negotiations are only part of the picture. We also need to acknowledge a dynamic that isn’t working for educators, students, or the long-term health of Belmont’s schools. Each contract cycle, the BEA raises concerns about our educators’ heavy workload, concerns we often share. In response, the district has worked to increase compensation. But with a fixed town-approved budget, there have been years when educators accepted smaller raises than  they may have expected. In lieu of larger raises, the School Committee made compromises, including shortening the school day, reducing professional development requirements, and diffusing leadership decision-making. These changes have added strain to the system, and we continue to hear about the heavy workload. 

We are working to change this dynamic by offering contracts that reflect our commitment to fair and competitive compensation. The current 2022–2025 contract provided significant raises: Unit A received annual increases of 2.5–2.75%, plus a $500 bonus, while Units C and D saw similar annual raises with first-year market adjustments of up to 21% and 44%, respectively. Since April, we have offered four compensation proposals with salary increases structured to protect and sustain our system, avoiding cuts to staff or student-facing services.

The 2025-2028 contract must do more than adjust salaries: it must begin to restore structures that support excellent teaching and learning and ensure the long-term sustainability of our school system. We are committed to increasing time for preparation and instruction across all schools, while maintaining clarity of roles and responsibilities within district leadership and operations.

While well-intentioned, the BEA’s latest proposal suggested trading lower salary increases for contract provisions like class size caps, limits on AP course loads and electives, and restrictions on English Learner placements. We understand and respect that the BEA is advocating for manageable workloads, a goal we share. Unfortunately, however, we cannot accept these provisions because they would reduce student opportunities and limit the district’s ability to respond to changes in the needs of students. 

With two bargaining sessions left this summer, we remain committed to good-faith negotiations and keeping the community informed.

With appreciation and hope,
Meg Moriarty, Ed.D., BSC Chair