Billerica Community Urges Superintendent To Provide Educators With A Fair And Respectful Contract (September 15, 2025)
As the Billerica Federation of Teachers (BFT) Local 1677 has its twelfth bargaining session with the district this evening, parents and members of the community are urging town leaders to move forward and provide educators with a contract that is good for students and fair to educators.
More than 1,100 Billerica parents and residents signed a letter to Superintendent Kerry Clery and members of the Billerica School Committee to declare their support for the priorities and proposals put forth by the BFT during negotiations, urging Dr. Clery and the School Committee to reach an agreement quickly.
“As parents, our first priority is our kids. Billerica’s children need great schools in order to thrive, and great schools start with talented, dedicated, and respected educators,” the letter reads. “We urge you to reach a fair agreement quickly with the Billerica Federation of Teachers that grants our educators the respect, pay, and working conditions they need to best support our children.”
Currently, 93 percent of Billerica Public Schools (BPS) paraprofessionals do not make a living wage while BPS teachers make well below the regional average, making it hard for the district to attract and retain the experienced and talented educators BPS students deserve.
The union is focused on securing a contract for their members that gives paras the pay and respect they deserve, ensures salaries are competitive with neighboring districts, and provides access to paid family medical leave – a benefit nearly every worker in Massachusetts has.
“We are asking the district to come to the table with the same commitment to do what’s best for our schools and our students as our educators bring to the classrooms each and every day,” said BFT President Dave Adams. “We are asking for a contract that provides our teachers and paras with the level of dignity and respect they deserve.”
BFT represents more than 700 teachers and paraprofessionals working in Billerica’s nine public schools.
The letters from the community were sent to Superintendent Clery and all members of the Billerica School Committee. Hard copies will be provided to Dr. Clery at this evening’s negotiations.