Exam Schools Tier Map

Farm to School recently recognized BPS's Office of Food and Nutrition Services as “Kale Blazers,” leaders in the farm-to-school movement who demonstrate excellence in bringing healthy, locally grown foods and food education to students.

STATEWIDE (Massachusetts) – February 3, 2025

Each year, Massachusetts Farm to School recognizes “Kale Blazers”, leaders driving significant change in farm to school efforts across the Commonwealth. This award honors individuals who demonstrate excellence and innovation in bringing healthy, locally grown foods and food education to students. Since naming the first Kale Blazers at the 2016, this award has celebrated those at the forefront of the farm to school movement.

This year’s Kale Blazers include two individuals from the Boston Public Schools Office of Food and Nutrition Services - Heidi Rivera and Anneliese Tanner. They are joined by additional honorees Kerrita Mayfield of the Amherst Regional Public Schools, and former Massachusetts State Representative Paul Schmid.

Anneliese Tanner, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Boston Public Schools
Since taking on her role in 2023, Tanner has been instrumental in advancing Boston Public Schools’ focus on sourcing local food. Boston Public Schools serves 45,000 students across 125 schools. She has significantly increased local and values-based food purchasing, making strides in implementing the Good Food Purchasing Program, a collaborative citywide initiative led by the City of Boston’s Office of Food Justice to harness the power of municipal institutional food purchasing to achieve social, environmental, and economic goals. Tanner is on track to reach Boston Public Schools’ goal of sourcing 30% local food, and her initiatives emphasize culturally affirming meals, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. "Anneliese's work leading BPS Food & Nutrition Services has provided a steady and strategic vision to ensure students have a nutritious taste of home at school and that we are buying food that helps support regional farmers, values workers and protects our climate and farmland. Her expertise, creativity and dedication have already made significant strides for BPS students in less than two years,” said Aliza Wasserman, Director, City of Boston Office of Food Justice.

Heidi Rivera, Cafeteria Manager, Henderson Inclusion Upper School, Boston Public Schools
Rivera exemplifies how individual dedication in school kitchens can drive the farm to school movement. Known for creating a warm and inclusive cafeteria environment, Riverai’s efforts encourage students to explore healthy, locally sourced foods. A colleague shares, “She is an amazing asset to our inclusion school community, ensuring every day that students feel welcome and supported in the cafeteria.” This positive school cafeteria culture encourages students to try the new healthy, local foods being served and thrive throughout the school day.

These honorees are making an impact across school food and nutrition, education, and policy. They represent the best of Massachusetts’ commitment to creating a more inclusive and sustainable food system.

“Through the Kale Blazer award, we are honored to recognize the local heroes who are strengthening the food system in Massachusetts. From educating the next generation of climate leaders, to championing public investment in farm to school programs, and changing the ways schools source and prepare meals, the 2025 Farm to School Kale Blazers are an inspiration to us all,” said Mass. Farm to School Co-Director, Simca Horwitz.

About Massachusetts Farm to School
Founded in 2004, Massachusetts Farm to School strengthens local farms and fisheries while promoting healthy communities by increasing local food purchasing and education at schools. The organization provides training, technical assistance, and advocacy to support farm to school initiatives statewide, fostering sustainable relationships between local institutions and food producers.

For more information, visit www.massfarmtoschool.org.

Curley School Counselor Named 2025 MA School Counselor of the Year

In January, the Massachusetts School Counselors Assoication named Sugeily Santos, a 7th and 8th grade school counsleor at the Curley K-8 School in Jamaica Plain, as the 2025 Massachusetts School Counselor of the Year.

Sugeily Santos of the Curley K-8 School named 2025 Massachusetts School Counselor of the Year in Surprise Ceremony

BPS is proud to celebrate all of our School Counselors and their commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment. We are deeply grateful for the transformative impact they have on the lives of our students. Their work guiding students through academic challenges, helping them explore career possibilities, and offering crucial social-emotional support is key to creating the supportive spaces that allow our students to thrive and reach their full potential.

On January 30, 2025, Curley K-8 School Counselor Sugeily Santos was recognized as the 2025 Massachusetts School Counselor of the Year! Mayor Michelle Wu, State Secretary of Education Patrick Tutweiler, Acting Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Russell Johnston, and Massachusetts School Counselors Association Executive Director Bob Bardwell joined Curley K-8 School Principal Dr. Katie Grassa for a surprise celebration to announce Ms. Santos as the 2025 Massachusetts School Counselor of the Year!

“We are incredibly proud of Ms. Santos and this honor for the Curley School community and our district,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “School counselors are such a vital part of our students' educational journey as they grow into adults and Santos represents the very best of what BPS offers. We are grateful for her dedication, expertise, passion, and caring approach to her work.”

“In my career I have hired hundreds of educators and Sugeily Santos is by far one of the best educators I have hired to date,” said Curley K-8 School Principal Dr. Katie Grassa. “She is very deserving of the honor of 2025 Massachusetts School Counselor of the Year. I have seen first hand her passion, work ethic and the exceptional connections that she makes with both adults and students, and I am very proud to have her as part of the Curley School team.”

“I am thankful for the award and recognition and I know how hard school counselors work,” said Curley K-8 School Counselor Sugeily Santos. “I am privileged to work amongst amazing colleagues who go to work everyday trying to connect with students and meet their needs.”

In December, Ms. Santos was also named as the 2024 BPS School Counselor of the Year, for her embodiment of the qualities of dedication, innovation, and leadership that define excellence in school counseling. She builds trust with students and families, and her care for others creates an environment where students feel comfortable seeking help and advice. Ms. Santos practices the highest ideals of school counseling.

Thank you, BPS School Counselors for all of your incredible work supporting our students and families, and congratulations to Ms. Santos on this incredible achievement!

Aspen Challenge Comes to Boston for Students to Tackle Community Concerns

The Aspen Challenge will kick off in Boston in February. students from 20 BPS high schools will participate over ten-weeks to build sustainable solutions to issues they identify in their communities.

Pictured Above: Students from the San Diego Unified School District gathered for the “Challenge” to learn about local issues their teams tackled over ten weeks during the 2024 Aspen Challenge: San Diego. (Photo credit: Daniel Bayer)

Boston, MA, January 13, 2024 – The Aspen Challenge, a program of the Aspen Institute, founded in partnership with the Bezos Family Foundation, will kick off in Boston next month. Presented in partnership with Boston Public Schools, teams of students from 20 local high schools will participate over ten-weeks to build sustainable solutions to issues they identify in their communities. The Aspen Challenge provides young Bostonians the opportunity and resources to create tangible change around their homes, schools, and neighborhoods.

The Aspen Challenge: Boston will take place on Thursday, February 13, at Artists for Humanity, located at 100 W 2nd Street. At the “Challenge,” teams of eight students and two teachers will hear from local leaders who will present a series of issue-specific goals to the students on topics including the role of social media in glamorizing substance abuse, affordable housing, community violence, access to green spaces, and post secondary education pathways. Challenge issue areas are chosen ahead of time by participating students.

Expert challengers include: David Bickham, Research Director, Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital; Brandy Brooks, Executive Director, Higher Ground Boston; Manuel Oliver, Co-Founder, Change the Ref; Gretchen Rabinkin, Executive Director, Boston Society of Landscape Architects; and James Antwine, Annyah Cush, and Carlotta Pope, winners of the 2023 Aspen Challenge: Brooklyn.

“We are incredibly honored to be selected to host, for the first time, the Aspen Challenge here in the Boston Public Schools,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “We are proud to partner with the Aspen Institute to empower our students with the tools and resources to help create sustainable solutions that will benefit our schools, their communities, and the city-at-large. This initiative is a testament to the incredible potential of Boston’s young people to drive positive change.”

Following the Challenge, student teams will select one challenge area and begin their ten-week project developing, implementing, and reporting on their issue area. At the end of that ten weeks, teams will reconvene on Thursday, April 29 for the “Solution Showcase” at which point they will present their work and impact to a panel of judges made up of community leaders, educators, experts, and activists. Three teams will be chosen as the Grand Prize winners of Aspen Challenge: Boston and fly to Aspen, Colorado to present their community solution at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June.

“The lesson I learned over and over, as a teacher, a district leader, and an advocate for youth, is that the very best ideas always come from young people. That’s why I welcomed Aspen Challenge to come to DCPS while I was leading the district and why I am thrilled that Boston now gets to learn from their high school students,” said Kaya Hendrson, Executive Vice President and Executive Director at the Aspen Institute’s Center for Rising Generations and former Chancellor of DC Public Schools.

Participating Schools:

Another Course to College
Boston Adult Technical Academy
Boston Arts Academy
Boston Green Academy
Boston International Newcomers Academy
Boston Latin Academy
Boston Latin School
Brighton High School
Charlestown High School
Dr. Albert D. Holland High School of Technology
Dr. William W. Henderson Inclusion School
Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Excel High School
Fenway High School
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School
Margarita Muñiz Academy
Mary Lyon Pilot High School
Snowden International School at Copley
TechBoston Academy
The English High School

The inaugural Aspen Challenge launched in collaboration with Los Angeles Unified School District in 2013. Since its inception, the Challenge has expanded to include partnerships with school districts in Denver, Washington D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Louisville, Miami, New Orleans, San Diego, and Brooklyn.

For more information on Aspen Challenge: Boston or to attend as a covering member of the media, please contact Eric Baker: eric.baker@aspeninstitute.org.

The Aspen Challenge provides inspiration, tools, and a platform for young people to design solutions to some of the most critical problems humanity faces. For more information on Aspen Challenge, please visit www.aspenchallenge.org.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

Boston Public Schools, the birthplace of American public education, is dedicated to providing a world-class learning experience for every student. BPS educates 54,000 students in 125 schools, 74 percent of the school-age children who live in Boston. BPS is proud to be one of the most diverse school districts in the nation. Nearly one in every two students speaks a language other than English at home, and BPS students come from 139 different countries. One in five BPS students has a disability, and half are economically disadvantaged. Under the leadership of Superintendent Mary Skipper, the district collaborates with families, community members, and students to foster a supportive and innovative environment with a strong commitment to educational equity and excellence. For more information, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org.

The Bezos Family Foundation envisions a world in which all young people reach their full potential and meaningfully contribute to society. The Foundation pursues that vision by making grants and by operating their own programs, with the aim of fueling the science of learning and enabling its application in a variety of settings. The Foundation’s mission is to invest in the science of learning and the experiences that youth need from birth to high school to pursue their own path for success. For more information, visit www.bezosfamilyfoundation.org.

Welcome to the New BPS Website

"Our new website reflects our commitment to transparency, accessibility, and engagement with our community. We want everyone to feel connected to our schools and to have easy access to important information and resources."

Dear BPS Community:

We hope that you had a joyous and restful holiday. Following months of planning and preparation, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the new Boston Public Schools website!

The website features modern, easy-to-navigate, accessible designs that will make it easier for you to find the information you need. Whether you are looking for information on our academic programs, extracurricular activities, lunch menus, or school policies, you will be able to find it quickly and easily. Our Communications Office, in collaboration with Finalsite, is leading the multi-year project. In addition to our improved navigation and design, we have added a number of new features to the site, including enhanced language translation and a communications hub where you can read about the latest happenings in the school community, including student achievements, faculty news, and much more.
Our new website will help us better serve our students and families. As we are deeply committed to continually improving our community engagement efforts, our new online presence will make it easier for us to communicate with you.

We invite you to visit our new website at bostonpublicschools.org and explore all the new features we have to offer.
We look forward to your feedback, which can be shared with our Communications team at communications@bostonpublicschools.org. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Mary Skipper

Events

Jan 11

Dorchester Welcome Center Opens to Support School Registration Process

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Jan 11

Saturday Recreational Tennis

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Jan 13

Parent, Teacher, and Community Association Meeting

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Jan 15

Sample Event

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Exam Schools Tier Map

Admission Year 2025-2026

At the February 5th Boston School Committee meeting, the School Committee approved a small adjustment to the Exam School Admissions Policy, consolidating the number of socioeconomic tiers from eight to four. This change was aimed at simplifying the policy, reducing changes to tiers from year-to-year, and lessening the disparities in access between students in geographically similar areas for the current admissions cycle for Fall 2025 enrollment.

City-wide census tracts are redrawn every ten (10) years, allowing for potential splitting, combining, or boundary corrections. The updated exam school tier computation for the 2025-2026 school year relies on the 5-year 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2020 Boston census data, which is the most recent census tract data and includes 207 tracts with 5th to 8th grade children.

Please note that this information applies only to admission year 2025-2026. Tiers for the 2026-2027 admission year will become available in late winter, 2026.

What is a tier?

A tier is a grouping of geographic areas in the city with similar socioeconomic characteristics, based on US Census Tracts. The socioeconomic characteristics include five characteristics: (1) Percent of persons below poverty; (2) Percent of households occupied by the owner; (3) Percent of families headed by a single parent; (4) Percent of households where a language other than English is spoken; and (5) Educational attainment.

What is a census tract?

How are tiers calculated?

The tiers use data sourced from the American Community Survey, an annual survey conducted by the US Census Bureau. The data used are the most recent 5-year averages of the 5 characteristics outlined above published by data.census.gov. Each data point is downloaded from the US Census website and is converted to a percentile for each census tract in the city of Boston. The percentiles for each data point are then added together to create an overall score for the census tract.

Census tracts are ranked from the lowest score to highest score, and are grouped together to create tiers. The tiers are intended to be of relative equal size, based on the number of children in grades 5-8 living in each census tract.

How does the admissions process work?

Students are assigned to one of four tiers based on their home address and will only compete for exam school admissions with other students in their tier. If your family relocates, please make sure to visit a BPS Welcome Center as soon as possible to update your home address.

Each tier will be allocated approximately the same number of seats. Invitations will be awarded through multiple cycles to ensure all students across the city have equitable access to an exam school. The tier with the lowest socioeconomic score will go first in each round.

How do I know what tier I live in?

TIER MAP

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In This Section

Exam Schools Tier Map

Admission Year 2025-2026

What is a tier?

What is a census tract?

How are tiers calculated?

How does the admissions process work?

How do I know what tier I live in?