BTU Membership Ratifies New Contract

Happy Passover to all of our members who celebrated this Saturday, and Happy Easter to those who will be celebrating Easter next Sunday! In April we also celebrate National Occupational Therapy Month and National School Library Month. Because next week is April vacation, we will not be publishing a bulletin. The next bulletin will be published on April 29th.

On Wednesday April 9th, over 1000 BTU members came to the BTU to participate in the ratification vote for a new contract which covers 2024-2027. Substitute teachers, ABAs and paraprofessionals unanimously voted in favor of their contracts, and the teacher bargaining unit voted in an overwhelming majority to approve the agreement. You can read the full contract settlement here as well as a plain language summary put together by BTU staff. Other related materials can be found on our website.

This was the largest BTU meeting in well over a decade and it is a testament to BTU members’ involvement that so many took the time to participate in a crucial aspect of this union’s democratic process. This contract agreement is not perfect, but it is another step on our journey to fight for the best possible conditions for our students and members. As a union, we have never been more organized, engaged and dedicated to this fight. What we have won in this contract raises the floor from which we start in the next round of negotiations.

With that said, it is important to recognize that we were able to achieve some significant improvements for our members and students in this agreement.

What Comes Next?

Now that the membership has ratified the contract, the School Committee must vote on whether to approve the agreement. The Committee is scheduled to discuss and vote on the agreement tomorrow, Wednesday, April 16 at their meeting at the Bolling Building. If the Committee approves the terms of the contract, the City Council then has to vote to approve the funding. We expect there to be a public City Council hearing followed by a separate meeting to vote on the contract sometime in early May.

The contract is retroactive to September 1st, 2024. That means the district will be sending retro checks to all members as well as adjusting their new pay rate. We do not know when the district will distribute retroactive checks but rest assured we will be working as hard as possible to get those checks to our members as soon as possible.

Our Fight Isn’t Over

We are thrilled that we have secured a contract agreement, and funding, during a time where the federal government’s commitment to local education is unpredictable and unreliable. But that contract battle is not the only fight. Currently, BTU educators at two charter schools- the Neighborhood House Charter School and Codman Academy- are in ongoing contract negotiations with their respective administrations. Both charter schools voted to join the BTU within the past year and are continuing to work to secure better working and learning conditions at their schools.

Tomorrow, the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA) is holding its annual Lobby Day at the Massachusetts State House. BTU officers and staff will be at the State House to advocate for increased funding for public schools, increased funding for community schools and much more. You can register here to learn more about what’s at stake and what action we can take to move legislators to better support public education.

Send us your positive stories!

As a union with approximately 10,000 active and retired members, it is hard to keep tabs on all of the wonderful things our members are achieving inside and outside the classroom. The BTU would like to highlight and celebrate our members’ achievements and positive impacts in their communities. If you would like to highlight a program, organization or individual achievement of yours or your colleague, please send an email to bulletin@btu.org with the title “BTU Member Spotlight”.

BTU Events and Announcements

Citywide Parent Council Meeting: TODAY on Zoom

The citywide parent council is the umbrella organization of the 125 School Parent Councils (SPC) in Boston Public Schools (BPS), and is the officially recognized voice of all BPS families. The Council advocates on behalf of all students and their families. You can access the zoom meeting here.

Join your local Democratic party and/or run to be a State Democratic Party Delegate!

As we work as a union to build the power to move the needle on education policies, you can help by attending your local Democratic Party Ward or Town Caucus this month and next month and/or by running to be a delegate to the Massachusetts State Democratic Party Convention next September! The Mass AFL-CIO is making a push to get union members statewide to run– if you think you’d be interested, you can click here to join their effort and find out when your ward or town caucus is happening.

Calling all K0 and K1 educators!

We would like to mobilize our members who have been working with students in this age group as we continue to elevate your needs with the district. Join us in convening a NEW group of our K0/K1 educators who would like to advocate for improvements. Please click here to show your interest.

New BTU ABA Classrooms Group

Are you interested in collaborating with colleagues who work in ABA strand classrooms? Please fill out this interest form to join a growing group of ABA Classroom Colleagues! We will discuss action plans to address shared concerns including class size numbers, staffing ratios, and more. This is welcome to all teachers, strand specialists, paraprofessionals, ABAs, related service providers, COSEs, and anyone else affiliated with an ABA class.

APALA Convention: Application deadline April 15th

This year’s convention will be held from June 26-29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Priority will be given to those who are active in the APALA MA chapter, identify as AAPI and/or have not attended in the past. All BTU members, including paraprofessionals, ABAs, and substitute teachers are eligible to apply. The BTU will pay for registration, a set average cost for the travel and hotel cost. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Cross at kcross@btu.org. Please Click here to apply.

Education Justice Lobby Day: TOMORROW, April 16th 9:30-2:30pm

The Education Justice Advocacy Day at the MA Statehouse on April 16th will be a critical time for students, parents/caregivers, educators, and community members to come together to advocate for fully funded schools and democratic decision-making. We’ll be amplifying the need for an inflation fix, charter school reimbursements, funding and support for sustaining and expanding community schools, and ending the democratic state takeovers of our schools. Click here to learn more

Haitian Educators Committee Meeting: April 28, 5:00-6:30pm

Please join us for our next monthly meeting in-person on Monday April 28th, at 5:00 pm. We will have a lot to discuss regarding the Haitian community domestic and abroad as it is a difficult time right now for a lot of us. Please arrive on time and ready to participate. For any questions and location please contact Bianca Pierre at bpierre74@gmail.com

Join the Climate Week of Action, April 28-May 2

Join us to celebrate Earth Day/Month in a Climate Week of Action April 28- May 2. Help us elevate understanding of climate change and empower our young people to work together to save our planet. Curriculum Resources here (add link – read only). Submit a social media post of Earth Month activities at your school to photos@btu.org to be entered into a raffle to win three, grade level appropriate books for your classroom or school library on climate justice topics. Be sure to include your name, school, and grade level with your post so we can enter you in the raffle. Learn more information here!

Grants of up to $15,000 are available for teams of educators who want to work together to create solutions to challenges that impact our students. Grantee teams also benefit from working in community with other educators across the district and receiving support throughout project implementation. For complete information about the program including application and guidelines, bit.ly/TLFund2025. Info at bit.ly/bpsbtutlfund

Bilingual Education in BPS: Community Voices from Busing to Today: May 13th

This event hosted by St. Stephen’s Youth Programs is a community forum that brings together parents, educators, and advocates to reflect on the ongoing fight for quality public education for immigrant children in Boston. From the desegregation era to today’s push for multilingual programs, immigrant communities have always led the struggle for justice in our schools. Click here to learn more and register!

3rd Annual BPS STEAMfest & Innovation Challenge: May 31, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

The 3rd Annual BPS STEAMfest will feature the BPS Innovation Challenge where students will present their STEAM projects. There will be hands-on activities for students and families of all ages. Lunch, raffles, prizes and more! To learn how you and your students can participate in the Innovation Challenge, visit bit.ly/bps-steamfest or contact Marcus Penny (mpenny@bostonpublicschools.org).

New BTU Reading Advocates Group

Are you passionate about reading instruction in BPS? Do you believe in strong reading instruction for all students, and strong supports that allow all educators to make it happen? To build on the work that BTU members are already championing around the district, join us in convening a new group to advocate for reading within the BTU. If you’re curious about (or already invested in) the movement to improve reading instruction in this country, please consider joining us! All BTU members are welcome, and click HERE to get involved.

Help Shape the Future of PreK–2 Report Cards!

The BPS Early Childhood Department is redesigning the PreK–2nd Grade report cards—and we need your voice! The BTU and Early Childhood are holding two educator input and feedback sessions, one in person and one on zoom. Join either a virtual and/or in-person session to share your experience and insights. These sessions are open to all educators who contribute to report cards for K0-2nd grade including Paraprofessionals. Interested? Please fill out this Google Form, and we’ll send the invite!

Summer Organizing Institute August 13-14!

Join us “Meeting the Moment, Building the Movement” our annual Summer Organizing Institute open to all BTU members to help build our skills to organize and bargain; dive deep on the issues impacting our schools; and take action together in a fun and engaging two days of sharing and learning. RSVP today!

BTU End of Year Party (The Last Bell): Saturday, June 7th, 5-9pm at Lawn on D

Calling all BTU members! Join us for the BTU’s annual End of Year Party (The Last Bell) being hosted at the Lawn on D (420 D St. Boston, MA 02210) on Saturday, June 7, 2025 from 5-9pm. Please note this event is for MEMBERS ONLY! This evening of fun will have games, food, drinks, and swag! You won’t want to miss out! Register here!

Professional Learning & Development Updates

Each week, we have many new and exciting Professional Learning & Development opportunities to share with you. You can find a full description of each listing on our Professional Learning & Development Updates Page.

• Connect & Share Sessions on “Access to Fishtank for Multilingual Learners
• Multilingual Learners Math Learning Site
• Building Independence and Agency in a Productive Learning Environment Learning Site
• Climate Change in the City: Place-based Science in Boston Harbor
• AI Staff & Teacher Survey
• America 250: Supporting Teaching and Learning
• Telescope Learning Site: Focus Text Talks for Comprehension
• New Sections of Required 12 Hour Inclusive Ed Course Added
• Telescope Connect & Share: “Early Childhood Inclusive Environments”: May 13th, 5:30-7:00PM on Zoom
• Aspire & Inspire Educator Symposium, May 22nd, 5:00-7:00pm

Community Events

People’s Forum on Graduation Readiness: April 30th at 6pm at Cambridge Rindge and Latin

Citizens for Public Schools, in cooperation with other education organizations, is organizing a series of six public forums across the state where parents, teachers, students, and other people concerned with our public schools can come together to discuss what the new state high school graduation requirements should be. Register here.

Apex for Youth Program: Application Deadline May 31st

We are now recruiting 8th-11th grade students for our free National Virtual Mentoring Program (NVMP), which connects students nationwide with dedicated mentors for 1:1 support, career guidance, and more. To date, we’ve matched 69 students across 16 states with mentors who undergo thorough vetting to ensure the best experience for all involved.

CitySprouts Fifth Quarter Job Opportunities!

CitySprouts is excited to be hosting Fifth Quarter learning for rising 5th and 6th graders at the Higginson Lewis School. We will be hiring a site coordinator as well as two teachers through BPS, and site leads through CitySprouts. We encourage anyone who believes in hands-on, nature-based learning to apply. Please also encourage your students to apply! If you have any questions, check out the CitySprouts website and/or reach out to Melissa Wender at mwender@citysprouts.org.

Better Budget Alliance—People’s Budget Survey

What do our neighborhoods need? Take our Survey. Boston’s People’s Budget is a community-led process in which residents put forward a proposal for the city budget. Learn more and join us!