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 on our social media accounts (Facebook: BelmontPublicSchools, and X: @belmontschools). We encourage you to visit these resources often for the latest updates.

January 16, 2026

Dear Belmont Public Schools Community,

I hope the new year is off to a good start for you and your family. 

As we enter the sixteenth month of contract negotiations with the Belmont Education Association (BEA), we met recently to review the remaining unresolved issues for Units A (Educators), C (Administrative Assistants and Clerical Aides), and D (Paraprofessionals, Classroom Aides, Campus Monitors, and Building Substitutes). These unresolved issues include:

• Scheduling, program support, and related contract language for Unit A, including prep time, release time for report writing and new curriculum implementation, meetings, and grievance language (how certain concerns would be raised and reviewed).

• Job structure for Unit C, including lunch, assignments, longevity language, and job descriptions.

• Additional paid time for Unit D, including how much time is added, when it begins, and how it is implemented.

In addition to addressing these unresolved issues with the BEA, we worked with the Select Board to identify limited funding for one-time payments and to propose employee benefit language to support a settlement. These elements were incorporated into our proposals but were not accepted by the BEA. Despite our efforts, the BEA’s most recent salary proposals continue to exceed what is available in the FY26 budget and the Town’s multi-year financial plan.

Since the start of negotiations, we have been clear about the financial limits within which the district must operate. This is why we rely on comprehensive financial modeling that accounts for built-in annual salary increases educators receive as they gain experience in the district and earn additional degrees or certifications, referred to as “steps and lanes,” when evaluating the long-term sustainability of every BEA proposal.

We have made substantial proposals and concessions over the course of negotiations, including many changes that benefit current and future employees, shown by over 70 tentative agreements with the BEA so far. But because the parties remain apart, we filed for mediation with Units A, C, and D at the end of December. The Department of Labor Relations (DLR) has scheduled an investigation for February 2, which is the next step in moving forward with the mediation process. We continue to make progress with Unit B and remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement with them.

As we move forward, we remain committed to negotiating in good faith and to keeping the community informed.

Meg Moriarty, Ed.D., BSC Chair