Cambridge City Council Declines to Back Staff Union as Contract Negotiations Enter Tenth Month

Negotiations between the Cambridge School Committee and the union representing much of the district’s staff are dragging into their tenth month — and the two remain gridlocked on a slate of key demands.

Staffing Shortages, Limited Capacity Strain Cambridge Afterschool Program

More than 200 Cambridge children remain on the waitlist for the city's afterschool programs as the school year begins — and some parents say the wait has pushed them toward costlier or less convenient care.

As Students Face Another Year of Bus Delays, Parents Detail a ‘Broken System’

For years, Cambridge Public School parents have described the same issues as students return to school: late buses, unreliable tracking systems, and a lapse in communication from the district.

Cambridge School Committee to Consider Three Options for Kennedy-Longfellow Building

The Cambridge School Committee narrowed their sights on three possible uses for the former Kennedy-Longfellow School building — marking the most concrete step to fill the facility since the district closed it two years ago.

Cambridge Schools Ban Smart Glasses and Other Wearable Recording Devices

Cambridge Public Schools banned the use of smart glasses across the district — prohibiting students from carrying them on all school property as district officials move to regulate emerging technology before it becomes a classroom issue.

Cambridge Officials Weigh Expanding Universal Preschool to All 3-Year-Olds

Cambridge officials signaled interest in broadening the city’s universal preschool program to guarantee seats for all three-year-olds at a roundtable last week — an expansion that could be bankrolled by wealthier families.

Cambridge School Committee’s Literacy Proposal Renews Debate Over Retention

Nearly 30 percent of third grade students in Cambridge fell short of meeting grade-level reading standards last year. Now, a School Committee proposal to hold back struggling students is dividing parents and educators over whether the policy would actually help.

Graham & Parks Principal Set to Return Next Year as Discrimination Suit Proceeds

Cambridge Public Schools renewed Graham & Parks Elementary School Principal Kathleen Smith’s contract, a district spokesperson confirmed Friday, extending her tenure amid renewed scrutiny over her leadership and an ongoing disability discrimination lawsuit.

Cambridge Schools Adopt $290M FY27 Budget After Months of Revisions

The Cambridge School Committee on Tuesday approved a nearly five percent increase to the district’s budget, adopting a $290 million plan for fiscal year 2027.

Cambridge Public Schools to Hold Classes on March 18 Following Four Winter Cancellations

Cambridge Public Schools will hold classes on March 18 — reversing a previously scheduled day off for students — in an effort to make up for weather-related cancellations this winter, Superintendent David G. Murphy announced Wednesday.

Cambridge School Committee Passes Motion To Expand Principal Evaluations After Leadership Controversies

The Cambridge School Committee passed a motion on Tuesday to expand the evaluation process for school principals across the district, requiring Superintendent David G. Murphy to regularly collect feedback on principal performance from parents, students, and staff.

Equity Audit Praises Cambridge Schools’ Overall Instruction but Finds Gaps in Student Support

A two-year equity audit of Cambridge Public Schools found that the district is offering strong core instruction, but has failed to consistently provide academic and behavioral interventions for students who need the most support.

Lawsuit Alleges Graham and Parks Principal Barred Volunteer From Teaching After Referencing Wheelchair Use

Graham and Parks Elementary School Principal Kathleen Smith allegedly barred a longtime volunteer from working at the school after referencing her use of a wheelchair in internal emails, according to court documents filed last week in a disability discrimination lawsuit against Cambridge Public Schools.

Cambridge Public Schools Expects $13M Budget Increase, Takes On Student Transit Costs

Cambridge Public Schools is expected to increase its 2027 budget by more than $13 million, including a commitment to fund public transit for students at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School from the school’s budget.

Cambridge Science and Civics MCAS Scores Exceed State Average, But Racial and Income Gaps Remain

Cambridge Public School students scored higher than their peers across the state on the 2025 science and civics Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam — though the data point to enduring achievement gaps across racial and socioeconomic lines in the district.

Cambridge School Committee Elects Incumbent David Weinstein as First Elected Chair

The Cambridge School Committee elected David J. Weinstein, a three-term incumbent, to serve as its first elected chair since 1940, ousting Elizabeth C. P. Hudson in a 5-2 vote at the committee’s inaugural meeting on Monday.

Parents Stand by School Committee Member-Elect Santos After CPS Resignation Agreement Surfaces

Cambridge School Committee member-elect Luisa de Paula Santos faced a wave of backlash last week after details of her departure from Cambridge Public Schools became public — but many parents said their support for her has not wavered.

School Committee Approves Controversial Search Firm Contract in 5-2 Vote

The Cambridge School Committee officially approved a controversial contract for $30,000 with the search firm that led the district’s superintendent search process, ending the six-month-long contract that was secured without the knowledge of many School Committee members.

School Committee Meeting

School Committee Delays Vote on Controversial Superintendent Search Firm Contract

Tuesday’s meeting, which saw the School Committee publicly discuss the contract for the first time, quickly erupted into confusion as some members questioned how the firm’s contract was executed without the School Committee approval.

Long-Time Volunteer, Substitute Sues CPS Over Disability Discrimination

A longtime volunteer and substitute teacher at Graham and Parks Elementary School is suing Cambridge Public Schools for disability discrimination, alleging that the district prevented her from volunteering because she is in a wheelchair.

With Auxiliary Ballots Counted, David Weinstein Set to Return to Cambridge School Committee

In a shakeup following the first round of preliminary results in the Cambridge elections, incumbent David J. Weinstein won back his seat on the School Committee after auxiliary ballot counts were announced Friday evening.

Cambridge Voters Prioritize Housing, Bike Safety At the Polls

The Crimson interviewed more than two dozen voters outside of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and found that housing and bike safety were on the top of voters’ minds.

Cambridge Voters Elect Challengers, Oust 3 Incumbents in School Committee Race

Challengers swept the Cambridge School Committee race in preliminary results released early Wednesday, with voters ousting all but two incumbents running — Elizabeth C.P. Hudson and Richard Harding Jr., both frequent and vocal dissenters against their colleagues.

Cambridge School Committee Election Guide

Explore candidate positions on key issues facing Cambridge schools. Browse candidate profiles, then compare their responses to specific questions.