Strengthening Our Public Schools

Term One Achievements 

Education is essential for the success of our youth, but there are several barriers that prevent our city’s young people from receiving a high-quality education. As Co-chair of the Human Services and Veterans Committee, a graduate of Cambridge Public Schools, and member of the Family Policy Council, championing issues important to families and children remains a cornerstone of my council work.

Children’s Savings Accounts:

The City has promised to develop a funding system to ensure that a Children’s Savings Account (CSA) will be an option for each kindergartener in the city. I first proposed CSAs in early 2018—these are long-term savings or investment accounts that provide incentives to help children ages 0-18, especially low-income children, build dedicated savings for post-secondary education. We will partner with a local bank and attach a financial literacy education as a key component. We must be fostering children’s expectations that they will attend postsecondary education at an early age and helping children and their families build savings for postsecondary education.

According to information from the Community Needs Assessment Report, 

  • Cambridge has a higher household poverty rate than the state, at 14% vs. 12%. 

  • About 18% of Cambridge children live in poverty, as compared to 15% statewide. 

  • The poverty rate for families with children is higher in Cambridge than the state as well: at 15% in Cambridge vs. 13% statewide. 

  • The numbers are even starker for families with children led by a woman alone: over 38% of these families in Cambridge live in poverty.

  • In 2014, about 43% of the population in Cambridge was considered financially insecure. 

  • 73% of low-income CRLS graduates enrolled in college within six years after high school graduation compared with 80% of their higher income peers.  7% difference*

  •  31% of low-income CRLS graduates completed college within six years compared with 52% of their higher income peers. 21% difference*

Expanding Access to High Quality Preschool

I’ve been advocating for the City expanding its own preschool capacity by opening additional classrooms to better meet the needs of Cambridge families and advocating for more funding in scholarships ($1 million dollars) for low-income children to attend high quality community based preschools.

Ongoing Efforts

In addition, I’m fighting to:

  • Improve efforts to support English Language Learners.

  • Prioritize recruiting and retaining a diverse teaching force.