Unite for North: How North Attleboro Teachers Helped Win Millions in School Funding

After years of tight budgets and multiple rounds of cuts, things were getting tough in North Attleboro’s Schools. In 2013 and again in 2015, voters rejected attempts to override the tax-limiting law Proposition 2 ½, leading to the closure of an elementary school, increased class sizes, and a cut of more than 70 paraprofessionals over the last few years. School technology upgrades weren’t being funded, and the potential for another elementary school closure was looming.

But in April, a $6.5 million tax increase, including $2.67 million annually for schools and another $1 million annually for one-time school investments like technology and curriculum upgrades, won at the ballot with 57 percent of the vote.

Teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, office professionals, and school nurses from the North Attleboro Federation of Teachers (NAFT) were instrumental in the ‘Unite for North’ campaign to pass the Prop 2 ½ override.

“We worked closely with a group of parents, selectmen, town meeting members, and town employees to educate voters about the importance of this override vote,” said NAFT President Nicole Reminder. “NAFT spearheaded a door-knocking campaign in which educators, community members, students and parents went-door-to-door talking to voters in the weeks before the vote. We also held several phonebanks, including a Get-Out-the-Vote phonebank on Election Day, and our members sent ‘Dear Friend’ postcards to their neighbors asking them to vote Yes.”

If the override had failed, another elementary school likely would have closed, the middle school would have faced grade reconfiguration, and the high school would have lost course offerings. Class sizes throughout the school system would have drastically increased. But educators talked about more than just the needs of the school system.

“Our message focused on the importance of maintaining town services, from schools and the town library to police, fire, and elder services. It’s key that our campaign was about services for every single townsperson, not just those with kids in the schools,” said Reminder. “For educators in communities that are considering a Prop 2 ½ override, it’s important that you work in coordination with town government and the other unions in town. That’s how we won revenue that will help all our students.”