Superintendent Carol R. Johnson has presented to the community and the Boston School Committee a preliminary proposal to replace the current three-zone model for assigning elementary and middle school students with a five-zone model. Under the current model, families applying to the Boston Public Schools for pre-kindergarten through grade 8 may choose from schools within one of three assignment zones, as well as any school within a certain distance of their home. All Boston public high schools assign students on a citywide basis.
The proposal would expand the number of assignment zones to five. Dr. Johnson noted that a new approach to student assignment would seek to achieve several objectives, including:
The Superintendent's proposal includes a comprehensive set of academic priorities to ensure high-quality schools in every zone and neighborhood, where all students achieve at high levels.
The public engagement process includes a series of community meetings as well as several School Committee meetings for presentations and testimony before a vote at the end of June. Any modifications to the current policy approved by the School Committee would take effect during the Winter 2010 registration process, for September 2010 assignments. No proposals have been presented to change the student assignment policy for the 2009-2010 school year.
Flier: Community meeting schedule
Please note that the "Welcome" pages of this site contain translations of the community meeting schedule in the following languages: Cape Verdean creole, Chinese, Haitian creole, Portuguese, Somali, SpanishandVietnamese.
The public engagement schedule is as follows, with all meetings scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.:
Wednesday, April 29
School Committee Meeting
Presentation of revised 5-zone student assignment proposal
Winter Chambers, 26 Court St., Downtown
Thursday, May 7
Community Meeting
Umana Middle School Academy, 312 Border St., East Boston
Tuesday, May 12
Community Meeting
Edison Middle School, 60 Glenmont Road, Brighton
Monday, May 18
Community Meeting
Lewis Middle School, 131 Walnut Ave., Roxbury
Wednesday, May 20
Community Meeting
McCormack Middle School, 315 Mt. Vernon St., Dorchester
Tuesday, May 26
Community Meeting
Irving Middle School, 105 Cummins Highway, Roslindale
Wednesday, June 3
School Committee Meeting – Recommendation from Superintendent
Winter Chambers, 26 Court St., Downtown
Wednesday, June 24
School Committee Meeting – Vote
Winter Chambers, 26 Court St., Downtown
June 3, 2009
Superintendent Johnson recommends that the School Committee not proceed with a vote on the five-zone proposal at this time but revisit the issue in the early fall, after additional analysis of questions and ideas raised through the community engagement process.
May 28, 2009
Community Meeting Presentation - Zone 1
Community Meeting Presentation - Zone 2
Community Meeting Presentation - Zone 3
Community Meeting Presentation - Zone 4
Community Meeting Presentation - Zone 5
May 27, 2009
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the 5-zone proposal
April 29, 2009
Memo to School Committee: 5-zone proposal and academic agenda
Presentation to School Committee: 5-zone proposal and academic agenda (revised 5-11-09)
April 15, 2009
Press release announcing public engagement schedule
February 25, 2009
Preliminary analysis of 5-zone student assignment model
February 4, 2009
Preliminary Proposal: Five-zone student assignment model
Pathways to Excellence initiative: school closings, expansions, relocations and consolidations (Fall 2008)
Read about current student assignment and transportation policies.