Wayland METCO team welcomes prospective students in Roxbury

Three members of the Wayland Public Schools METCO team welcome prospective students and their families to the METCO Showcase on November 18 in Roxbury. They are (l-r) JaNae Hood METCO Academic Liaison, Wayland Middle School; Mark Liddell, METCO Academic Liaison, Wayland High School; and La Toya Rivers, METCO Director, Wayland Public Schools K-12.  The annual “Showcase” brings urban and suburban METCO representatives together to encourage Boston’s diverse students to apply to METCO for a chance to be referred via lottery to their preferred choice of outstanding suburban schools. Families also explore community agency opportunities, enjoy free pizza and DJ music, and take photos with Wally the Green Monster! Since its founding in 1966, the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students in predominantly white school districts, creating the opportunity for students in those districts to learn in a racially and ethnically diverse setting. Many have called METCO a major player in the effort to dismantle racism. Currently METCO is seeking increased state funding in order to meet the costs of rising transportation and educational expenses, expand the program at school districts’ requests, and continue significant racial equity initiatives.

 

 


Details of the November 18 Event:

METCO SHOWCASE in Roxbury on Nov. 18!

PARENTS EXPLORE FREE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOSTON CHILDREN, YOUTH, AT EXCEPTIONAL SUBURBAN SCHOOL

Meet METCO school district reps, enjoy refreshments,  music by DJ, RAFFLE, Wally the Green Monster!

WHAT: “METCO SHOWCASE” highlights METCO program’s streamlined application process and provides the opportunity for families to SIGN UP NOW! Parents and children can visit with representatives of participating school districts, take photos with Wally the Green Monster, explore community agency services and opportunities, enjoy free pizza, music by DJ and more!

WHEN: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 FROM 12 NOON to 2:30 PM

WHERE: Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont St., Boston

BACKGROUND: Making it easier than ever to apply to METCO, families no longer need to provide past school records for the METCO application process. They only need their child’s birth certificate, parent-guardian ID, and proof of Boston residency.

Parents can also choose up to three suburban school districts, ranking them in order of preference. No longer are children assigned arbitrarily to districts not acceptable to parents due to distance or other factors. To help parents make school choices, extensive school district profiles have been created on the METCO website.

METCO’s 57-year much-applauded history shows that Boston children enrolled in METCO get an OUTSTANDING, FREE public education in the suburbs with rigorous classes, many sports and extracurricular activities, great facilities and high graduation rates and college attendance.

The simplified METCO enrollment process represents an historic accomplishment that involved years of intense collaboration with parents, educators, district leaders, and MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE), which oversees METCO and must approve critical program and policy changes.

Founded in 1966, Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) is a key player in Boston history. METCO has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students in predominantly white school districts, creating the opportunity for students in those districts to learn in a racially and ethnically diverse setting. METCO supports over 3,100 families in 33 participating school districts and 190 public schools, with graduation rates and college attainment far above state averages. Many have called METCO a major player in the effort to dismantle racism. See www.metcoinc.org for more information.

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