METCO SHOWCASE IN DORCHESTER!

“METCO SHOWCASE” on Oct. 26 in Dorchester Highlights

FREE & EXCEPTIONAL Educational Opportunities

for Diverse Boston Students at Suburban Schools

Learn about METCO, America’s largest voluntary desegregation program,

check out its streamlined application process,

and meet METCO’s 33 Public School District Partners

DON’T MISS IT! Are you interested in applying to the METCO program? METCO is the nation’s largest voluntary school desegregation program. Born out of the Civil Rights movement under Massachusetts’ Racial Imbalance Law, METCO sends 3,150 urban students from Boston to 33 suburban communities for the purposes of integration. Boston resident students entering kindergarten through 10th grade can apply to the lottery for an opportunity to be referred.

Significant research out of Tufts University this year confirmed what other studies and reports have noted: METCO boosts educational achievement and career outcomes for K-12 students.

METCO will hold an afternoon of advice and support for Boston families seeking top educational opportunities for their children at the ANNUAL METCO SHOWCASE on Saturday, October 26 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm at the Boys & Girls Club, 15 Talbot Ave., Dorchester. This event is intended to allow families to learn more about each of our district partners and apply onsite. Along with assistance with the streamlined METCO application process, parents and children can speak with representatives of suburban school districts served by METCO and enjoy entertainment, snacks and raffle prizes.

Families need only provide a parent/guardian ID, proof of Boston residency, and their child’s birth certificate to apply. In addition, parents can apply to up to three suburban school districts, ranking them in their order of preference. If selected by the lottery to be referred for placement, their child’s application will be sent to one of their top three school choices, as long as space is available. To aid in choosing school districts, extensive district profiles have been created on the METCO website. Families can also get in-person support with their online application at METCO Headquarters at 11 Roxbury Street in Nubian Square.

Milly Arbaje-Thomas, METCO President and CEO shares: “We are so pleased to provide this outstanding educational opportunity to Boston families and to make the application process easier for busy parents. Selecting your child’s educational pathway is one of the most important decisions a parent has to make in their life. Parents deserve to have the opportunity to research their school options and make a selection based on their unique needs. At METCO, this is now possible. Join us at our Showcase to meet suburban school educators and administrators, ask questions, and make your choice!”

Arbaje-Thomas also notes that METCO provides children with the opportunity to get a great education; make lifelong, interracial friendships; appreciate diversity and break down racial barriers and stereotypes; learn with children of all backgrounds through shared experiences; and prepare to become global citizens.

The first METCO application lottery cycle closes on November 30. APPLY NOW!

About METCO:

The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) provides diverse Boston resident students with a strong academic foundation rich in cultural, educational, ethnic, socioeconomic, and racial diversity, fostering the opportunity for children from Boston and from neighboring suburbs to develop a deeper understanding of each other in an integrated public-school setting. Since its founding by Black activist parents in 1966, METCO expands educational opportunities, increases diversity, and reduces racial isolation by permitting students from Boston to attend public schools in suburban communities that have agreed to participate. Over 58 years, METCO has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students of color in neighboring suburban school districts and has provided the opportunity for students in those districts to experience the advantages of learning and working in a racially and ethnically diverse setting. Learn more at https://www.metcoinc.org.