BPS Budget Forum TONIGHT!

Welcome to the first school week of March and the start of Women’s History Month; a reminder that this Sunday is International Women’s Day. The City of Boston, the Women’s Heritage Trail and AFT’s Share my Lesson have compiled lists of events, resources and lesson plans which are great starting points for ideas for your own classrooms!

March 3rd BEJA Budget Forum

The Boston Education Justice Alliance is hosting an online budget forum for BPS communities, families, and educators TONIGHT from 5-7pm. Register HERE! This forum is an opportunity for everyone impacted by BPS’s latest budget proposal to discuss the impacts at their respective schools and to brainstorm strategies to fight back against the cuts that are eliminating vital staff positions and student services.

Under the current budget proposal, the City and school department plan to cut more than 400 positions at 60 schools. The BTU is actively advocating for additional funding at the state level and is pushing the City and the school department to preserve more of these educator positions which provide vital support to students. It is up to us to fight for our students and our schools.

We strongly encourage all BTU members who are available to attend the budget forum this evening. We will have further updates on our campaign to push back against these devastating staff and service cuts at our next membership meeting on Wednesday March 11th, from 430-630pm at the BTU Hall.

School Calendar Agreement

This year, Labor Day falls on September 7, the latest possible day it can be.  Therefore, even with the shortest possible winter break (Dec 24-January 1), there are not 185 non-holiday, non-vacation weekdays between the Thursday after Labor Day, when our contract specifies that school begins for students, and June 30, which is the last day the law allows school districts to schedule 185 schooldays (with 5 snow days built in to the calendar.) The school department approached the BTU to negotiate about the issue, as doing nothing was not an option, as it would violate state law.

This has happened in the past, most recently in 2013 and 2015, when the union and the district agreed to start school for students right after Labor Day, with staff reporting for room set-up and PD before Labor Day. After negotiations, we reached a similar deal this year, and it was approved by the membership at the February 11 membership meeting.

The School Committee has not yet voted on the calendar for SY 26-27, but for summer planning purposes, BTU members should plan on reporting to work on September 2 and 3, and school starting for students on Tuesday, September 8, with kindergarteners starting on Thursday, September 10.

The BTU, AFT-MA and educator unions, families, students and community groups across the country will participate in a national day of action on March 4th in response to the Trump Administration’s brazen attacks on public education which will harm our students and our schools.

Educators will unite and use our voices on March 4th to fight for our students:

• Send a letter to your congressional representative demanding support for federal education funding.
• Share your personal story on social media to raise awareness and spread our message.
• At a number of schools, BTU members will be leafleting parents and students to educate them about their rights if they encounter ICE.
• Join the BTU, AFT Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance for a virtual town hall to learn exactly how federal attempts to gut the Department of Education would harm Massachusetts students—and build a path forward together. RSVP here to join

The Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA) is also holding a press conference on Beacon Hill to discuss how the federal government’s immigration enforcement tactics are impacting school enrollment. As federal policies continue to deter families from enrolling in public schools, state and local funding will continue to fall. A first step is to pass the PROTECT Act, which will prevent federal agents from accessing state and local courthouses to execute civil immigration detention orders. This act will protect local families who are trying to do the right thing by attending immigration court hearings from being detained from federal agents and sent to unknown locations. The BTU and MEJA are also advocating for legislation that would provide state funding to urban districts who have experienced significant and sudden drops in enrollment.

Legal Updates from the BTU

We have some great news on the legal front! The BTU filed a case in Superior Court over the district’s refusal to uphold an arbitration decision, mandating that the district not post positions before permanent teachers are notified they have been excessed. The district notified the union that they would ignore the arbitrator’s order while it was on appeal, so the BTU filed with Superior court and the district was mandated to not violate the terms of the decision. No positions were posted until teachers had been notified of their excessing.

In a second case, the BTU filed an unfair labor practice charge with the state labor board because the district refused to continue negotiations as we agreed upon in bargaining for the 2021-2024 contract. We were successful in this charge and the hearing officer decided that the district did violate our rights by refusing to bargain with us, and we will be demanding to bargain soon.

Share your Story: The Trump Administration’s Policy Impacts on Unions

Attorney General Andrea Campbell has created a form for Massachusetts residents to fill out explaining how the Trump Administration’s actions have impacted our individual lives. Her office has reached out to unions specifically to understand how those actions have impacted the labor movement.

Here is a message from the MA AFL-CIO:

The Attorney General’s Office has released an online portal to collect stories from Massachusetts residents who have been impacted by federal actions since Trump took office again last January. The AGO has reached out to labor to get more stories about the experiences of union members.

We strongly encourage you to share member stories about how the Trump administration’s actions have affected their lives. For instance, we have seen uncertainty for thousands of workers on offshore wind projects, tens of thousands of federal employees furloughed due to government shutdowns, and immigrants across the Commonwealth afraid for their safety. We know there are many other ways that our members have been impacted and this will be a useful way to share the experience of union members under Trump.

The Federal Action Story Collection Form is available here.

If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Stand up for Science Protest: March 7th

One year after the movement-defining Stand Up For Science protest, organizers are returning to the streets on SATURDAY MARCH 7th, 2026 to save science, protect health, and defend democracy! We encourage YOU to attend the Boston rally at noon on Saturday at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common. Details of events, volunteer sign up, and Pop-Up Protest information can be found on the Stand Up for Science website: https://www.standupforscience.net/march7

BTU Events and Announcements

RTC Members Apply by March 15th to Attend Alliance for Retired American
The BTU is sponsoring three RTC members to attend this year’s national Alliance for Retired American conference in Las Vegas from April 27th-30th.

This conference will bring members together to elect national officers, debate and vote on resolutions, sharpen organizing skills, and prepare for the high-stakes 2026 elections. The BTU will cover travel, hotel, and conference fees. Please fill out this form by Tuesday March 10th at 5pm to be considered. Apply HERE

BEJA Budget Forum: Tuesday, March 3 from 5-7pm Zoom

Is your school facing budget cuts next year? Do you want to make sure your school is getting the funding it needs? Join us Tuesday, March 3 from 5-7pm at the Bolling Building for a discussion about the newly released BPS Budget for next school year and how it affects students. This is a forum for BPS students, families, and educators. Dinner included! Family-friendly environment! RSVP today at bit.ly/BEJABudgetForum

ABA Strand Specialists Solidarity Letter!

The ABA Working Group has put together a sign-on letter to send to the district about the Strand Specialist caseload increase from 4 to 6 classes for next year. This abrupt change means that many specialists will be excessed and classes will struggle. We want as many names as possible on this letter, so please review the letter and sign on using the Google form!

ABA Working Group Meeting: March 9th

The next ABA Working Group meeting will take place on Monday, March 9th, from 5-6pm on Zoom. We will be working on expand our Fall survey to other districts, so please come and bring a friend or two! If you would like to be added to the Zoom invites, email Madison Kronheim at madisonnkronheim@gmail.com or Katie Delarosa at kdelarosa@btu.org

Dever Digitizing Day: March 26th

The Dever Digitizing Day will be held on March 26, 2026 3-7pm to bring together the widespread Dever community, share memories, and celebrate the Dever’s journey. At the event, in collaboration with University Archives and Special Collections at UMass Boston, we will be developing a public, online archive to tell the story of the Dever over the years. Please bring 1-3 photos, artwork, documents, or stories that have special meaning to you and the Dever. What you bring will be scanned or recorded and returned to you, then uploaded to the permanent Dever collection in the UMass Boston online archives. The event will also be a chance to mingle, reminisce, and celebrate together! Please register for the event here.

Are you interested in Job Sharing in SY 26-27 and looking for a possible match? Fill out this form by March 15th and we can send you the informational slides from BPS about Job Sharing and possibly help you “find a match” in the district. The deadline for the BPS Job Sharing formal application is March 27 and can be found in Supt Circular.

Apply to attend Labors Notes 2026: Deadline March 16th!

The Executive Board has approved funding to this year’s Labor Notes conference for up to 8 BTU members. This year’s Labor Notes Conference will take place from June 12-14 in Chicago.

Every effort will be made to select from a diverse range of job categories and bargaining units. The goal of this application process is to provide an opportunity for BTU members to attend the conference. Priority will be given to those who have not attended ANY conference at BTU expense with the exception of fall conference. The BTU will pay for the cost of conference registration, a shared hotel room, and travel expenses.

Please submit an application here by March 16th at 5pm.

Retired Teachers Chapter Scholarships: Application Deadline April 7

Each year the Retired Teachers’ Chapter of the Boston Teachers’

Union awards three scholarships to deserving high school seniors who are the children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, grandnieces or grandnephews of RTC members. One of these scholarships isearmarked for a student who chooses to attend a vocational school or equivalent institution. Applications for these scholarships can be downloaded from the BTU website or picked up at the BTU office.

BTU Dependent Scholarships: Application Deadline April 10

The BTU will be offering 16 scholarships in the amount of $2,000 to high school seniors who are dependents of dues-paying BTU members. If you’re interested in applying for the scholarship, please contact Michelle Frank (mfrank@btu.org) or download this form.

Ukraine Professor Literacy Connection

A Ukrainian professor preparing teachers for the classroom is seeking to connect with an educator working with elementary school kids with literacy, specifically around digital stories. If you would be interested in connecting with this professor, please email Caitlin Gaffny, cgaffny@btu.org

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.

• Emergent Literacy in Early Childhood Classrooms Connect & Share: March 9th, 5:30-7:00PM
• Middle Grades Amplify Desmos Math Learning Site: March 18, 8:15am-2:15pm
• Early Childhood Inclusive Practices Learning Cohort Session 4: Writing
• Middle School Day of Learning: March 9, 8am-2:30pm
• Wicked Math Learning Site Series: Feb 12 or Feb 26
• Emergent Literacy in Early Childhood Classrooms Connect & Share Series, Mon, March 9th, from 5:30-7:00
• MTSS Learning Cohort Session 4: SEL in MTSS, March 18th, 5:30-7:00

Community Events

BEJA is hiring! Part-Time Youth Organizer and Part-Time Parent Organizer

The Boston Education Justice Alliance is hiring:

 Part-Time Youth Organizer

 Part-Time Parent Organizer

We’re looking for passionate community leaders who believe in student voice, family power, and fully funded, equitable public schools. If you’re ready to organize, advocate, and build collective power in Boston, we want to hear from you. Email Keo with questions: Keo@bostoneja.org. Click here to learn more.

Fundraiser for Horace Mann School for the Deaf RIT/Middle School Math Competition
The Horace Mann Middle School Math Team will be traveling to Pittsburgh, PA for the RIT/NTID Northeast Regional Math Competition. We are looking for support to help defer the costs of transportation. Donate HERE:  http://bit.ly/horacemannmath

Voices of Boston Public Schools: 1st World Languages Week March 9th-13th

Join us for the first-ever BPS World Languages Week! We are celebrating our vibrant multilingualism with a district-wide Spirit Week featuring daily themes. Students: enter the poster contest. All staff, students & community: submit a video that celebrates “Voices of Boston Public Schools. Learn more here!

Practical Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Students with Disabilities Webinar: March 10, 4:00-5:30PM

This free, 90-minute webinar focuses on practical, classroom-based strategies K–12 educators can use to ensure meaningful access to education for multilingual learners with disabilities, how to make content-rich history and civics instruction more accessible, and how to better support Latino students with ADHD. Join us on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 4:00-5:30 PM ET. Learn more and register here.

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