David J. Weinstein
2025 Candidate for Cambridge School Committee
Home address:
45 S. Normandy Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
Contact information:
Instagram: instagram.com/votedavidweinstein
website: votedavidweinstein.com
e-mail: votedavidweinstein@gmail.com
phone: 857-285-2194
Facebook: facebook.com/votedavidweinstein
Twitter: twitter.com/voteDWeinstein (for archival posts - not actively posting here)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djweinstein
Send contributions to:
Online: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/davidweinstein
or by mail to:
David Weinstein for Cambridge School Committee
45 S. Normandy Ave.
Cambridge MA 02138
I am excited to announce that I am running for re-election to the Cambridge School Committee, and I ask you for your #1 vote. Please call or email me anytime with questions, concerns, or ideas.
I’m proud of the Cambridge Public Schools, and what I have been able to accomplish in collaboration with students, families and caregivers, educators, administrators and School Committee colleagues…but I am not satisfied.
THE EXPERIENCE, PERSPECTIVE & SKILLS TO SERVE
I am a parent, former public school teacher, scholar of education, and School Committee Member. If re-elected, I will continue to collaborate with Cambridge families and teachers and will use his experience to increase opportunities for all of our children.
On the School Committee I have been a leader for educational excellence, racial equity, special education, and inclusion. I have worked tirelessly to achieve long-discussed goals for the City of Cambridge, including free universal preschool and more robust afterschool programs. I engage people from throughout our community because I know a more inclusive process leads to better results for everyone.
I am a Cambridge Public Schools parent of an 8th grader and a 2025 CRLS graduate, and have lived in Cambridge for 24 years. I taught full time as a certified classroom teacher in public elementary and high schools in Massachusetts and New York and in a special education summer camp and a school for the deaf, and have spent my career in K-12 and college education. I have guided and grown a 50-state civic education program at Brandeis University’s Ethics Center.
I researched teacher leadership and educational policy and practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and I know how to connect innovations and ideals with classroom realities.
MY PRIORITIES FOR THE COMING TERM:
- Close our racial, gender, and economic opportunity gaps.
- Safeguard our children from external threats to funding, principles, and policies by securing additional funding and standing by our commitments. I will always stand in defense of and in solidarity with our trans and gender nonconforming students, our Black and brown students, our immigrant and refugee students, and with all of our students.
- Ensure special education and advanced learning supports are accessible to all.
- Continue my work to improve communication and transparency so all families and caregivers can be fully empowered, including robust support for every school council.
- Strengthen our upper schools (grades 6-8) with teacher collaboration, enhanced academic opportunity, and more arts, sports and extracurriculars.
- Preserve and expand experiential learning, recess and playful outdoor experiences to support social and academic development.
- Emphasize learning and growth, not standardized tests.
- Ensure a community-engaged superintendent hiring and transition process. I will bring my experience as a public school teacher, a K-12 Cambridge parent, and as a School Committee member to this transition. We must make the most of the strategic opportunity we will have with a new superintendent – while staying focused on our mission, our values, and our ongoing work.
RESULTS OF MY WORK AS A SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER
FREE UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL
We launched free universal preschool in 2024 for every 4-year-old and many 3-year-olds. I’m proud to have been a leader in getting the support and funding for this groundbreaking step.
INDIVIDUALIZED “CRADLE TO CAREER” SUPPORT
We are now building the coordinated “success planning” system I advocated for, with individualized guidance, afterschool and summer programs, mental health services, early college, internships, and apprenticeships. As part of the core team of Cambridge leaders designing our plan, I am committed to effectively and efficiently using our wealth of resources to ensure no child falls through the cracks or lacks support to reach their potential.
ALGEBRA 1 IN EIGHTH GRADE
I cosponsored the policy that established Algebra 1 for ALL Cambridge students in 8th grade, with additional supports as needed. Finally, every 8th grader is learning Algebra 1.
SCIENCE OF READING
We shifted to science of reading-based early literacy instruction, to make certain all of our children can read at grade level, with a goal that ALL Cambridge students are reading on grade level in third grade.
ADVANCED LEARNING
I sponsored the new advanced learning policy we adopted. We must identify and meet the advanced learning needs of every child – including those who also need academic support. Our equity goals demand this is not limited to those who advocate for themselves, or pay for opportunities outside of school. I have focused on ensuring that throughout our curriculum, we set the floor high, we support all kids to get there – and we don’t impose ceilings.
INCLUSIVE, SAFE SCHOOLS
I continued to speak out against intolerance in our schools, calling out racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, misogyny and homophobia; I supported LGBTQIA+ students, faculty and staff; and institutionalized the consent education program in athletics our students championed.
IMPROVED FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND GREATER TRANSPARENCY
I championed the passage of updated School Council policies, and established the School Committee’s Ad Hoc School Councils Subcommittee so caregivers and educators from our schools could share their needs and priorities. I will continue to hold our district leadership accountable for meaningfully supporting school-level family engagement, and robust, transparent School Improvement Plans.
SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS
A former art and English teacher myself, I have secured supplementary funding from the state for our upper school Visual and Performing Arts Programs in two Massachusetts State Budget cycles in a row, and will continue to champion the arts in all of our schools, pre-K to 12.
MORE LEARNING TIME FOR STUDENTS
This year we lengthened our school day so our children have the time they deserve for learning and growth. We are no longer shortchanging our kids, and we ensured our teachers and staff are paid fairly for their work.
LET’S TALK!
I am a Cambridge Public Schools parent, former public school teacher, a scholar of education, and a higher education professional. If re-elected, I promise to continue engaging with the families of Cambridge and using my experience to increase opportunities for all of our children.
We are interdependent. We have accomplished a lot – but we cannot stop now. We must put all of our love, resources, wisdom and focus toward meeting the individual needs of each and every child and supporting our dedicated, caring, expert teachers and staff.
That is my commitment.
I ask you to vote David Weinstein #1 on November 4th and continue this work with me, so Cambridge can achieve excellence, equity, and opportunity for every child.
To get involved and learn more, go call me at 857-285-2194, email me at votedavidweinstein@gmail.com, or go to votedavidweinstein.com.
You can also find updates at instagram.com/votedavidweinstein and facebook.com/votedavidweinstein.
To contribute: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/davidweinstein.
Thank you!
David
2023 Candidate Page CCTV candidate video (2023)
2021 Candidate Page CCTV candidate video (2021) 2019 Candidate page CCTV candidate video (2019)
2017 Candidate Page CCTV candidate video (2017) InsideOut - Oct 17, 2017
Cambridge Parking Day interview (2017) 2015 Candidate Page