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Brookline educators urge Select Board to use certified free cash to avoid more school cuts
Summary
Educators and union leaders told the Select Board the Brookline Public Schools face steep deficits and urged use of certified free cash and other short-term funds to restore positions and avoid pending reduction-in-force notices.
Educators and union leaders used the Select Board’s public comment period on April 8 to press town officials for short-term funding to prevent further cuts to Brookline Public Schools.
Rachel Dunbar, a Brookline special educator, said the School Committee’s recent elimination of the Office of Educational Equity and proposed cuts to curriculum coordinators will widen achievement gaps for traditionally underserved students. Dunbar urged the town to consider “certified free cash” as a one-time source to cover the current gap and protect vulnerable students while longer-term structural fixes are pursued.
Justin Brown, president of the Brookline Educators Union, representing roughly 1,300 teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators, told the board that the district faces a multimillion-dollar deficit that threatens jobs and services. Brown said the union’s analysis indicates a one-time transfer from certified free cash could prevent further layoffs without harming the town’s AAA bond rating; he also described a rise in workplace injuries he attributed to understaffing and to underfunded special-education supports.
Maggie Canniff, a Brookline Public Schools teacher and union member, warned that if no resolution is reached before May 1, the administration will likely begin sending reduction-in-force letters — a step that could prompt staff departures and further hurt the district’s reputation and capacity.
Why it matters: Town officials must balance school funding requests against townwide fiscal constraints. Educators’ requests for one‑time use of reserves (certified free cash) would reduce immediate cuts but do not resolve long-term budget imbalances; the Select Board and School Committee must continue cross‑jurisdictional discussions before Town Meeting and budget adoption.
What the board said: The Select Board acknowledged the budget pressures and noted ongoing conversations with the School Committee and administration; no formal board vote on a funding transfer occurred during the meeting.
Next steps: Educators urged quick action before May 1 RIF deadlines; staff and board members said they would take the concerns to the budget process and follow up with the School Committee and administration.
