Scores of parents, parent mentors and nonprofit representatives used the Nov. 17 Ways and Means hearing to press Boston Public Schools and the City Council to sustain and expand bilingual education and the parent-mentor program run in partnership with Saint Stephen’s.

"This program has opened new doors... It turns fear into confidence," said parent mentor Josie Clervaux, describing classroom support and family connections enabled by the program. Multiple speakers recounted how bilingual instruction and parent-mentor support helped students make rapid gains and maintain native-language literacy while learning English.

Councilors asked BPS for budget clarity; David Bloom said FY27 details for specific partner-funded programs are still being developed but the district values the partnership and aims to distribute opportunities equitably across schools. He said the district has budgeted roughly $7–10 million annually for a range of school partnerships, enrichment and tutoring that include parent-mentor work.

Parents and advocates asked the council to prioritize funding during the FY27 process so that bilingual programs and parent-mentor staffing are not disrupted, and highlighted real-world outcomes — reduced language barriers for families, increased classroom engagement and pathways for parent mentors to enter school workforce roles.

BPS staff said they will provide more granular FY27 budget details in subsequent briefings and that contingency plans aim to preserve priority investments despite federal funding uncertainty.