Special Olympics Awards Four Boston Public Schools with National Banner

Special Olympics Massachusetts recently honored four Boston Public Schools with National Banner recognition for their efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities.

Special Olympics Honors Four Boston Public Schools with National Banner Recognition

BPS has four of only 17 schools in Massachusetts and 217 schools nationwide to achieve the status of National Banner School for the 2024-2025 school year.

BOSTON - DECEMBER 19, 2025- Special Olympics Massachusetts recently named Brighton High School, Mario Umana Academy, Trotter Elementary, and the Warren Prescott K-8 School as National Banner schools for their efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities. The four schools earned this distinguished status as a result of meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect. These standards were developed by a national panel of leaders from the Special Olympics and the education community.

"We are incredibly proud that four Boston Public Schools have been recognized as National Banner Unified Champion Schools," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. "This honor reflects our district's and schools’ commitment to creating inclusive environments where every student of all abilities can participate, lead, and thrive. Through programs like Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole-school engagement, we move closer to building a more inclusive future across all of our schools."

The Unified Champion Schools® model is a strategy for schools Pre-K through university that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without disabilities to create accepting school environments, utilizing three interconnected components: Unified Sports; inclusive youth leadership; and whole-school engagement. As many as 16 million young people are taking part in inclusive experiences through Special Olympics. National Banner Unified Champion Schools also demonstrate they are self-sustainable or have a plan in place to sustain these activities into the future.

"At Warren Prescott, our students are at the center of everything we do and our school community works diligently every day to ensure that all our students have the opportunity to connect, lead, and learn alongside their peers of all abilities," said Principal Michele Davis, Warren-Prescott K-8 School. "Our collaborative efforts are grounded in this vision, allowing students to engage meaningfully with each other and helping build a school culture rooted in equity, respect, and inclusion."

Since October 2023, Boston Public Schools (BPS) has been implementing its landmark Inclusive Education Plan for the Boston Public Schools. The plan outlines systemic changes across all BPS divisions to close opportunity gaps and give every student access to rigorous and culturally affirming instruction. This Inclusive Education Plan will transform learning outcomes for all students, upholding the right of every student to be educated in the least-restrictive environment.

"Trotter Elementary celebrates the power of inclusion every day. Our students participate in Unified Sports and school-wide activities that foster understanding, leadership, and friendship across all abilities," said Principal Sarita Thomas, Trotter Elementary School. "Being named a National Banner School emphasizes our commitment to creating a learning environment where all students can thrive socially and academically."

Brighton High School has made history by becoming the first secondary school in Boston Public Schools to earn Special Olympics National Banner recognition. This achievement showcases the school’s commitment to creating an inclusive community where students of all abilities can fully participate in sports, leadership activities, and school life. With its unified sports programs and strong culture of belonging, Brighton sets a great example of what it means to achieve inclusive excellence at the high school level.

"At Brighton High School, our students are at the forefront of creating a community where everyone feels seen, supported, and included," said Principal Andrew Bott, Brighton High School. "This recognition highlights their dedication to uplifting one another, fostering strong friendships, and making our school a welcoming environment for all. We are incredibly proud of the leadership and compassion our students demonstrate every day, which has earned us the Special Olympics National Banner."

Photo: Piano Lab Ribbon Cutting at Umana Academy, 2025.

“This achievement reflects the power of inclusion, teamwork, and community. At the Umana, every student deserves to feel seen, valued, and celebrated, and earning the National Banner recognition affirms that belief,” said Principal Akua-Nia Francillon, Mario Umana Academy. “I am proud of our school, grateful for our dedicated educators, and inspired by our amazing young people who make the Umana a place where belonging and brilliance are lived every day.”

The Unified Champion Schools® model is supported by the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. This model has been proven, through research, to be an effective and replicable means to providing students with and without disabilities the opportunity to form positive social relationships and promote a socially inclusive school climate.

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Exam School Admissions Policy Recommendations
September 25, 2025

School Committee Presentation and Materials

How Do I Apply?

Admissions Criteria

Students who are entering grades 6, 8, and 9 in September 2025 and are Boston residents are eligible to apply to one of our exam schools for September 2026. Admission criteria include a student’s MAP test score and their Grade Point Average (GPA).

Exam School Admissions Information Sessions:

These sessions covered admission requirements and timeline for students applying for the fall of 2026. Zoom recordings and resources for each session can be found below:

Thursday, October 16, 6 p.m. EST | Session Recording, Slides, Info Sheet
Thursday, November 6, 6 p.m. EST | Session Recording, Slides, Info Sheet

Steps and Deadlines

Please review the action steps below to learn more about our application process and important deadlines.

Step 1: Take the MAP Test

All students who wish to apply to a BPS Exam school must take the MAP Growth test. Students have two opportunities to take the MAP Growth in the spring and fall. If the student takes the test twice, BPS will use the higher achievement percentile score in each subject area (Reading & Math) for their application. The student must complete both sections of the test in order to receive a score. You may access a MAP Growth demo by NWEA, intended for students to become familiar with the testing platform.

BPS students enrolled in grades 6 and 8 at all non-exam schools will take the MAP test during the school day at their current school between December 8 and 19. No registration or further action is necessary.

BPS students in grades 8 and 9 currently attending a BPS exam school must take the weekend MAP test if they wish to apply for grade 9 or 10 admission to a different exam school.

Students not enrolled in BPS in grades 6, 8, or 9 must also register for a weekend test administration.

The next and final weekend test date of 2025 will take place on Saturday, December 6th, 2025. Please note that online registration has closed and is unavailable as of 5pm on November 14, 2025, and all new registrations must take place in-person at a Welcome Center. In-person test registration at a Welcome Center will be available until 5pm on Friday, November 21, 2025. BPS will not accept any late registrations.

Step 2: Residency Verification for Students not currently enrolled in BPS: Private, Parochial, Commonwealth Charter Schools, METCO schools, Homeschool

In order to apply for and attend a BPS exam school, both the parent and student(s) must reside in the City of Boston. Between October 14 and November 21, 2025, parents/guardians of students who are not currently enrolled in Boston Public Schools are required to verify their City of Boston residency and submit their ranked school preferences as part of the application process.

Please note that the Boston area Commonwealth charter schools are NOT part of the BPS district; if your student is enrolled in a charter school, you are required to verify your City of Boston residency.

Students who must complete the Residency Verification Process in the fall of 2025 include:

Students attending a private school
Students attending parochial school
Students attending METCO program schools
Students attending Commonwealth Charter schools (excludes UP Academy, Boston Green Academy, and other “in-district” BPS charter schools)
Students attending schools outside the City of Boston
Students being home-schooled must demonstrate that both the student and parent/guardian live in the City of Boston

The residency verification must be completed even if a family has other children enrolled in Boston Public Schools; a student is receiving special education services from BPS; the parent or guardian is a current city employee; or if the student was previously enrolled in BPS.

To complete this step:

Between October 14 and November 21, 2025, submit your application via the below BPS registration site.

BPS Registration Site

Instructions:

If you already have an Avela account, please enter your username and password to access the site. If you do not have an account, click Sign Up at the bottom of your screen.
Families may either select their child’s name if shown or click the Add New Student. Select 2026-2027 School Year as the Enrollment Period.
Select the form titled Exam Schools: Boston Public Schools Residency Registration.

Applications will be reviewed by BPS, and if complete, families will receive a Summary Report by email. If the application is incomplete, BPS will follow up via telephone and/or email. Please note that it is the parent's responsibility to ensure the application is complete by the November 21 deadline.

Step 3: School Choice

Students must rank at least one exam school during the school choice process to be considered for admission. Students are encouraged to apply to all three exam schools for grade 7 and 9, in addition to any other BPS schools on a student’s choice list.

BPS students enrolled in grades 6 and 8 (not enrolled in the exam schools) will receive a notification with the option of submitting their ranked school preferences online, provided that they have an email address on file, in early January 2026. Families will also receive a school choice form from their school, which may be returned to their school by February 6, 2026.

BPS students in grade 9, or students in grades 8 and 9 currently attending a BPS exam school must complete a transfer request at a BPS Welcome Center. Parents/guardians must visit a BPS Welcome Center in between January 5 and February 6, 2026, to submit their ranked preference(s).

Students not enrolled in BPS in grades 6, 8, or 9 will submit their ranked school preferences during the Residency Verification period.

Step 4: GPA

Students must have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of a B or higher to be considered for admissions to an exam school. For grade 7 admissions, GPA is calculated based on a student’s grades in grades 5 and 6.

Students must have grades in each of the below subjects for the GPA to be calculated.

Applying for:	SY26–27 Entrance
7th grade	Grade 6 marks in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies from Quarter 1 and 2 OR Trimester 1/Semester 1; Grade 5 marks in ELA and Math from the last marking period.
9th grade	Grade 8 marks in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies from Quarter 1 and 2 OR Trimester 1/Semester 1; Grade 7 marks in ELA and Math from the last marking period.
10th grade	Grade 9 marks in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies from Quarter 1 and 2 OR Trimester 1/Semester 1; Grade 8 marks in ELA and Math from the last marking period.

To view a summary of how grades will be converted for exam school consideration, please visit our fact sheet.

Step 5: Invitations

Students will be considered for admission based on their test scores, GPA, socioeconomic tier, and ranked order of school preferences. Please note that students will only receive an invitation to one exam school, determined by the above factors and the number of seats available.

All applicants will receive an admissions decision letter in late April or May 2026 via email and postal mail, which will share the student’s status (invited/not invited), composite score, socioeconomic tier, and waitlist status, if applicable.

Please note that exam school decisions are final and we do not accept appeals.

Applicants that receive an invitation to an exam school will be able to participate in a welcome event in the Spring of 2026 hosted by the school to meet the staff and learn about course offerings, extracurricular activities, and ask questions.

Quick Links

To sign up for the BPS Exam Schools Mailing List and receive updates regarding Exam Schools admissions throughout the year, please fill out this brief form.