Students invited to apply for entrance into city’s exam schools

BOSTON – The Boston Public Schools will offer the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) for entrance to the city's three examination schools on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. at 12 locations across the city.  The registration deadline is September 29, 2010.

Students must currently be in grades 6, 8 and 9 to take the test. Interested candidates may obtain application materials from the principal of his or her current school.  Applications will also be available at the Boston Public Schools Family Resource Centers and all branches of the Boston Public Library.

The three exam schools are Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science.  New students are admitted to grades 7 and 9 at all three exam schools.  John D. O'Bryant is the only exam school that accepts a small number of new students for grade 10. Exam school admission is based entirely on the results of the ISEE and a student’s report card grades in ELA and Math.

In June 2010, the Boston School Committee approved the Superintendent's recommended change in the date by which prospective students must prove Boston residency for consideration to attend the exam schools. Effective immediately, students must reside in the City of Boston on or before the first Friday in November.

The application process for the three exam schools is as follows:

For all students:

• Register and take the ISEE. BPS will offer the ISEE on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 9 a.m. at 12 locations across the city. The registration deadline is September 29, 2010.  Students may obtain application materials in mid-September from the principal of their present schools as well as at BPS Family Resource Centers, and all branches of the Boston Public Library.

• Complete the Choice Selection Form/Grade Release Form. Following the ISEE exam, the BPS Enrollment Services Office requests student grade information from the applicant’s current school. At this time families receive the Choice Selection/Grade Release Form. In addition to giving permission for student grades to be shared with BPS Enrollment Services, this form also allows families to rank the three exam schools in order of preference. Parents/guardians must complete and sign this form and return it to their child’s school.

• Return the acceptance form. Exam school invitation letters will be mailed to students in mid-March, and students may accept or decline entrance by returning the enclosed form.

For students not currently enrolled in BPS:

• Provide proof of Boston residency.  Students taking the test in November 2010 for admission to one of the district's three exam schools in September 2011 must demonstrate Boston residency in person at a Family Resource Center beginning October 1st, but no later than Friday, November 5, 2010.

• Provide immunization records. When returning their exam school acceptance form, non-BPS students must also submit their immunization records in order to complete their BPS registration process.

Any family who wants to pursue other Boston Public Schools options must complete the regular BPS school choice process. The first round of registration begins in January.

All families can take advantage of the City-wide Showcase of Schools (Saturday, October 23 at the Reggie Lewis Center), which brings representatives from all Boston Public Schools to one place, and School Preview Time (November 1, 2010 – January 21, 2011), during which all schools host open houses for families to learn more about options for their children in the Boston Public Schools.

For further information, contact Enrollment Planning & Support at 617-635-9512 or visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/exam.