Against opposition, BPS passes $1 billion budget

The School Committee approved the city’s $1 billion budget last night despite angry opposition from students, teachers and parents who say the spending plan fails vulnerable students.

Prior to the vote, dozens of students and their teachers argued the budget will hurt the quality of their education and will slash money from the schools that need it most.

Despite the outcry from many of those in attendance, Superintendent Tommy Chang defended the budget, saying school-level budgets will get a $25 million boost and struggling schools with dropping enrollment numbers will get an additional $1.25 million.

“This is by far the largest budget in BPS history,” Chang said. “It provides the most money ever to our schools, it provides the most learning time ever available to our students, and it provides per-pupil funds that are the envy of many of our bigcity peers.”

The budget is a $40 million increase over the current year with money set aside for the teachers union contract and new programming for homeless students, longer school days, vocational education and more pre-kindergarten seats.

The board passed the budget on a 5-to-2 vote, with members Regina Robinson and Dr. Miren Uriarte in opposition.

Member Michael Loconto said the budget is “well funded.”

“I’m in favor of this budget,” Loconto said. “What I see in this budget is a number of efforts to close the achievement gap.”

But Uriarte said she was “troubled” by the budget, saying, “This is not a year of crisis. This is what we’re doing in a year of money.”

The push-back over the budget followed a teacher protest outside the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, where Boston Teachers Union members called for the district to return to the table to negotiate a new contract for the one that had expired in August.

BTU President Richard Stutman said the two sides will meet today for first time since February.

“I do hope the BPS sees the urgency in getting this in a determined way,” Stutman told the Herald. “I hope they come to the table prepared to settle.”

But the Boston Municipal Research Bureau said the city shouldn’t settle without “bold reform,” arguing reform measures are a matter of urgency for BPS students. The bureau is recommending that the new contract include provisions that determine teacher pay based on performance and allow socalled “SPC” teachers without permanent positions to be dismissed if not hired in a year or if they don’t apply for a new position.