Boston exam school acceptance sparks criticism of ‘zip code’ bonus points

The controversial metropolis examination college “zip code” acceptance coverage is being defended by outgoing college Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, however not all people is celebrating.

“Now we have to do a greater job of training our youngsters in elementary college to allow them to cross the examination college take a look at,” mentioned at-large Councilor Erin Murphy.

This all comes, Murphy added, because the state is about to determine if Boston faculties ought to go into receivership.

In an electronic mail blast Wednesday night Cassellius mentioned the brand new Examination College coverage “elevated the variety” of these invited to attend the district’s three examination faculties — Boston Latin College, Boston Latin Academy and the John D. O’Bryant College of Math and Science.

The variety of eligible candidates for the exams faculties was 1,283 in seventh grade, Boston Public Faculties mentioned, with 78% successful acceptance.

BPS added 85% obtained their first selection, 11% to their second selection college and 4% to their third-choice college.

The Herald was instructed Wednesday night time some college students got rid of the examination college carousel as a result of they aren’t from a low-income family at the moment are “scrambling” to land a pricey spot in a personal college. That, Murphy says, is a tragic actuality for a lot of.

However Cassellius argued, “the coverage is working as meant.”

“The driving focus of our work at BPS over the previous three years has been to extend entry to all kinds of alternatives for all of our college students, particularly those that have encountered limitations for a lot too lengthy,” she wrote.

Cassellius is heading out the door with a $314,000 exit package deal — principally a 12 months’s pay — as Mayor Michelle Wu spends $75,000 to seek for a alternative.

Murphy, a former BPS instructor, instructed the Herald the “zip code” examination college coverage is “pitting neighborhood in opposition to neighborhood,” the place, she defined, some metropolis neighborhoods get “bonus factors” and others don’t.

However, she burdened, “we’re already failing black and brown children by not making ready them to get into examination faculties” and pushing again on those that say questioning the brand new coverage is “being racist.”

BPS stories roughly 76% of invites went to college students of shade, a rise of 16 share factors from SY20-21 invites. Additionally, college students experiencing housing insecurity, within the care of the Division of Kids and Households or residing in housing owned by the Boston Housing Authority, additionally noticed their possibilities of touchdown a coveted examination college seat soar.

“The brand new admissions coverage gives a transformational alternative for a lot of college students to attend our examination faculties who in any other case might not have had the possibility,” mentioned Jeri Robinson, College Committee Chairperson. “This new coverage opens the door for a lot of of our college students whereas nonetheless guaranteeing the excessive ranges of rigor for which the examination faculties are identified.”

Examination College invites had been despatched to college students in Grades 7 and 9 on April 29.

Murphy mentioned she was instructed some dad and mom had been contacted this previous weekend in an effort to recruit extra college students to the examination faculties.

The 2022-2023 college 12 months for BPS college students begins on Sept. 6.