Superintendent Dave Murphy said Thursday in an update on contract negotiations between the district and the Cambridge Education Association that the union’s proposals would require an “estimated 18% increase to the CPS operating budget” within the first year of implementation.

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Dollar wise, this would mean “at least an additional $175 million over the next three years” according to Murphy’s statement. He said the union’s requests “exceed the district’s financial” capacity. The entire school budget for fiscal ‘27 is $293 million.

The School Committee, as the body which negotiates on behalf of the district, has already proposed base pay increases for paraprofessionals and extended parental leave, Murphy added.

The update, shared with community members via the parent communication platform ParentSquare, seems to respond to union concerns that pay cuts are in store. Around 60 union members rallied before a June 17 School Committee meeting and delivered over 1,000 postcards to committee members. In a press release describing the rally, the union argued that “the school committee is proposing 2 percent cost-of-living adjustments” for all CEA members.

But Murphy said in his update that the school committee’s current wage scale proposals would increase base compensation for the paraprofessionals by nearly 60% over the next two years, giving the district one of the most competitive paraprofessional salary schedules in the state.

The annual starting salary for a paraprofessional in the district working a seven-hour work day ranges from $31,640.25 to $45,456.40, according to public contracts.

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School committee proposals also include other wage increases, enhanced tuition reimbursements, increased classroom stipends and reforms to the school calendar, according to Murphy’s update.

Murphy said he shared the update to “help circulate accurate information” about current proposals and “expedite a resolution” to negotiations that have been ongoing for nearly seven months. More than 17 bargaining sessions have been held. 

Union representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.

Both the union and the district have shared hopes to finalize negotiations before the beginning of the upcoming school year. 

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This story will be updated as new information is gathered.