METCO Legislative Caucus Requests Increase to the METCO Program
BOSTON, MA – State Senator Scott Brown, a co-chair of the legislature’s METCO Caucus, joined with colleagues this week in calling for a $1.5 million increase to the METCO program.
The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program provides the opportunity for participating students from Boston and Springfield to learn together in an integrated public school setting with students from racially isolated suburban schools. Since its inception, tens of thousands of students have had the opportunity to attend schools in surrounding communities.
The success of the METCO program is striking. Over 87% of METCO graduates have gone on to college. By comparison, the state average college attendance was only 77% in the past three years. Last year, every METCO Senior had passed the MCAS requirement, enabling them to graduate with their class.
“METCO is a win-win program,” said Senator Brown. “It provides opportunities for urban students to transform their lives through greater educational opportunity and prepares our suburban students to compete in more effectively in our rapidly diversifying nation and the expanding global economy.”
The METCO Program is hosted in five of the towns in Senator Brown’s district including Needham, Wellesley, Sherborn, Natick, and Wayland.
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