How to Apply to Exam Schools

Students have two opportunities to take the MAP Growth test to apply to the BPS exam schools - 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 the 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, here.  

Students currently enrolled in grades 6 and 8 at a BPS school will take the admissions test at their current school between December 2 and 13. No registration or further action is necessary. The only exception is for students currently attending the John D. O'Bryant, Boston Latin Academy or Boston Latin School, who must take the weekend MAP test. 

Students not currently enrolled in BPS, students currently in grade 9 at a BPS school, or students in grade 8 at a BPS exam school, are required to participate in the weekend test administration. The next and final weekend test date of 2024 is Saturday, December 7th, 2024. As of November 15th at 5pm, test registration has closed. 

In order to apply for and attend a BPS exam school, both the parent and student(s) must reside in the City of Boston. 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. Families who have completed registration for the December 7 admissions test will have until Friday, November 22nd, at 5pm to complete their residency registration.

Translated copies of the BPS Registration Document Checklist are available as follows: English | Español | عربى | Kabuverdianu | 中文 | Français | Kreyòl | Português | Afsoomaali | tiếng Việt

Students who must complete the Residency Verification Process 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 

There are two ways to make an appointment:

1. In-person: Families may walk into one of the four BPS Welcome Centers and work directly with a Registration Specialist, or schedule an appointment on this form to limit your wait time during your visit.

2. By computer: Pre-register here and schedule an appointment on this form to complete the application with a registration specialist. A follow-up appointment either in- person or over the phone is required. Please select ’Pre- Register for BPS’ from the side menu. Click the first option if you have never registered any child for Boston Public Schools. Select the second option if you already have an Aspen account.

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.

As part of the application process, families must rank their preferences between the three exam schools (first choice, second choice, third choice, etc.).  Students will be considered for admissions based on their test scores, GPA, and ranked order of preferences.

Families are encouraged to apply to all three exam schools for grade 7 and 9; however, the parent/guardian must rank at least one exam school to have the student considered for admissions.  During the school choice process families are able to rank order the three exam schools, as well as other district schools within the child’s home-base.

Students not currently attending BPS will submit their ranked school preferences during the Residency Verification period.

Current BPS students in grades 6 and 8 will receive a School Choice Form from their current school in early January 2025. Families may write in their preferences and return the form to the child’s current school for processing. Families with an email address on file will also receive a notification with the option of submitting their ranked school preferences online.  

The parent/guardian of grade 8 students currently attending an exam school, and the parent/guardian of a BPS grade 9 student interested in the O’Bryant, must  register for and take the weekend MAP exam and must visit a BPS Welcome Center in January 2025 to complete a transfer request in order to submit their ranked preference(s) for a different exam school.