SOS Support Our Schools

Join the SOS Movement to Fund the Schools!

Our Funding Fight

Will you join Support Our Schools (SOS) in fighting for a school budget that meets the needs of all our students?

Support Our Schools (SOS) wants the city to use some of its multi million dollars in extra funds RIGHT NOW to restore the recently lost jobs and to start funding the long-neglected needs of students.

Join us on November 21 at 5:30pm in front of City Hall for a Rally to Restore the Jobs and at other events listed below to show your support of funding our schools. It took many years of defunding to get Northampton Public Schools to this significant loss of personnel and services. It’s time to turn that around. Make your voice heard! Let’s do this together! It’s the only way we can.

What You Can Do

TELL THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO USE SOME OF OUR GENEROUS CITY REVENUE TO RESTORE THE JOB NOW! 

  • Write a letter to the Mayor. You can use our email template as a start point. There is much more to do to repair the damage done to the schools in the last decade by continual defunding. This is just a first step to repairing the damage and providing an excellent education to our students.
  • Show up on Thursday, 11/21 at 5:30-6:30pm in front of City Hall! We are turning out to tell our city government that we want money allocated to the schools now. City Council meeting inside City Hall will follow at 6:30, and there will be public comment. Please make a comment if you feel so moved to do so. Sign up for public comment begins at the start of the meeting. Each speaker will have 3 minutes. 
  • Attend a Finance Committee Budget Listening Session!  Plan to come in person if you can and sign up to speak at public comment. Having a large group at meetings makes a huge impact on officials! So much in city politics is done while no one is watching and we want to stop that, especially when it comes to funding education. 

Want to know more about the current budget situation?

Everyone knows: always pay your bills before you put money in the bank!

In just over a week, the state will certify Northampton’s surplus of $6-8 million. The mayor will put this money into various savings accounts and funds instead of “paying her bills” and fully funding our schools.

  • Schools are chronically underfunded in Northampton. Over the last two years, 35 positions have been cut, with more cuts coming next year.
  • Our schools need more interventionists, special education teachers, paraeducators, classroom teachers, librarians, and office workers to meet students’ needs.
  • Class sizes across the city are too big. We know this negatively impacts student learning and safety.
  • Even if your child is doing fine, there are many who aren’t getting what they need. These are often our most vulnerable students who need and deserve our advocacy.

What’s the Mayor’s argument?

Mayor Sciarra repeats several talking points about school funding, but presents no real arguments for continually defunding schools. Here are her common sound bites and our responses:

  • The Mayor claims the schools have a “deficit.”

Our schools are part of the city budget. The city enjoys a generous surplus of cash every year. It’s impossible for the schools to have a deficit when the city has so much extra money. The “school deficit” is a myth and a scare tactic to make people think the schools present a drain on city resources.

  • The Mayor claims state funding is the real problem.

While state funding is a problem, our city is not doing enough to maintain quality schools, compounding the problem. Advocates will continue to work for more state funding alongside our efforts to secure stable city funding.

  • The Mayor touts “Fiscal Stability” and Invisible Fences 

While the mayor often speaks as if placing money into untouchable savings and stability funds is required, extra revenue is completely under city control. The mayor and city council can vote to reallocate funds at any time with a 2/3rds vote.

  • The Mayor argues regular folks just don’t understand budgets.

We are informed citizens living in a democracy. We understand that our city is doing well financially, but our mayor is choosing savings over students. We want city officials to collaborate with citizens about where to spend our tax dollars and city revenue. We can fund the schools (not to mention, fire, ambulances, and infrastructure!) and still be fiscally responsible.

Stabilization Funds are savings accounts used for certain city expenses at the city’s discretion. Certified Free Cash is extra money that is undesignated. Northampton currently boasts over 40 million dollars in free cash and stabilization funds! Source: MA Dept of Revenue

Questions? Email [email protected]