Exam school admissions policy to be 100% tiers
The Boston School Committee passed a historic exam school admissions policy that will give new opportunities to disadvantaged students by offering invitations based on grades, an exam and socioeconomic tiers.
“We have come to a place where we are ready to move this district forward,” said Chair Jeri Robinson just before the policy passed unanimously following hours of passionate public comment.
Under the new admissions system, to become eligible for an exam school invitation, students must have at least a GPA equivalent of a B. Those students will receive a composite score based on an admissions test and their grades.
All invitations will then go out through straight rank within eight socioeconomic tiers, a plan opposed by some parent groups that wanted a 20% set-aside of the best applicants regardless of socioeconomic status.
“What is being considered tonight I believe to be a huge step forward for our students, especially our students who have not been able to access our exam schools through no fault of their own,” Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius told the committee Wednesday night.
The policy goes against a task force recommendation that had included an 80/20 split instead of 100% tiers.
The socioeconomic tiers are geographic groupings within the city with similar socioeconomic characteristics. Each tier will be allocated about the same number of seats. The tier with the lowest socioeconomic score goes first in one of 10 selection rounds.
There is no special tier for children in the Boston Housing Authority or in the care of the Department of Children and Families as was once discussed, but such students gain extra points with a high poverty indicator.
About 55 people signed up to testify at the school committee meeting, with public comment starting with city councilors.
City Councilor Julia Mejia said the policy “serves as a first step to dismantling the oppressive structural inequity.”
But Annissa EssaibiGeorge, city councilor and chair of the education committee, said via Twitter that the plan was “hasty.”
“While the plan claims to level the playing field and create improved access, it has not,” wrote EssaibiGeorge, who is also running for mayor.
Many members of the public spoke in favor of the plan, and those who opposed it asked members to consider a completely merit-based plan, or to delay the vote altogether.
Cassellius said she chose the 100% plan because it is simple and easy to understand, it maintains academic rigor and increases opportunity for disadvantaged students.
Spring 2022 exam school invitations will be sent out under the new policy, which is sure to change the makeup of the city’s prestigious exam schools.