Keep Somerville's Neighborhood Schools
Build 690, Not 925
Keep Somerville's Neighborhood Schools
Build 690, Not 925
Join 1100+ Somerville residents who have already emailed their representatives
Current proposal:
The City of Somerville is asking the state to fund a 925-student school at 115 Sycamore Street (Winter Hill Community Innovation School). Accepting that funding requires committing to close the Brown School on Willow Street. In 2027, Somerville residents will vote on a debt exclusion to fund the city's share. We support building a 690-student school at Sycamore — same site, same timeline, right size.
A 925-student mega-school:
More than doubles traffic on Sycamore Street
At best, doubles the number of kids using existing green/outdoor space at Sycamore - or even reduces that space
Costs more to build and operate every year than a right-sized school
Eliminates one of three walkable elementary options on the West Side of the city— with no replacement plan
Forces the closure of the Brown School — the only K-5 school in Somerville
A 690-student school:
Serves all current Winter Hill students with room to grow, comparable in size to Somerville's current largest K-8 school
Preserves walkable school options on the West Side of the city
Allows a genuine public conversation about the future of the Brown School — without making closure a condition of state funding
Saves Somerville taxpayers money — the state will only partially fund construction, and a larger building means a larger tax burden for decades
Over 1,200 Somerville residents emailed city officials with seven questions about the 925-seat proposal. The city answered some of them on their website — but the answers raise as many questions as they resolve.
No consideration for walkability for affected West Side families
The city says closing Brown "will not reduce overall enrollment capacity, as those seats will be relocated to the new school at 115 Sycamore Street." But relocating seats two miles east is not capacity-neutral for West Side families who can't walk that far. Kindergarten is already at zero availability at West Somerville Neighborhood School (WSNS) and Kennedy. The Clarendon Hill redevelopment — 591 new housing units being built next to WSNS — will generate significant new demand for WSNS seats. None of this is addressed by the city's answer.
No decision on redistricting and catchment plan before the preferred option is submitted to MSBA
The city says a redistricting and catchment plan will be ready "by Fall 2026" — but the state submission that locks in the 925-seat decision is due in August 2026. The community will not see a redistricting plan before the decision is made. The MSBA requires the district to certify that public meetings on redistricting were held before that submission. No such meetings have been scheduled.
The city dismisses school size research — but the evidence disagrees
The city claims that "research on school size and student outcomes does not demonstrate a clear educational advantage between schools serving approximately 600 students versus 900 students." A 2015 Hanover Research review of the school size literature finds the opposite: smaller schools consistently produce equal or better academic outcomes, with additional benefits including improved student behavior, higher attendance, fewer dropouts, and more positive teacher attitudes — effects that are strongest for low-income and minority students. The city's answer also doesn't address walkability, operating costs, or community cohesion — even though the city's own 2025 Construction Advisory Group survey found that Somerville residents prioritize walkability above all else, regardless of which school option they prefer.
No answers to other questions the community has raised
The city has not publicly answered questions about traffic and parking at 925 seats, the future use of the Brown School building, or the affordability impact on Somerville residents. These remain open.