Newton To Celebrate 50 Years With METCO

NEWTON- Two decades ago this year Newton Public Schools became one of the founding members of the METCO, which is the second oldest voluntary inter-district school assignment program in the country with the aim of increasing diversity in school systems. On Saturday, April 29, Newton officials, community leaders and state officials will mark the occasion at Newton North High School.

The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) is a state-funded educational program designed to eliminate racial imbalance through the busing of children from Boston and Springfield to public school systems in surrounding suburban metropolitan communities.

In 1963, the NAACP's Education Committee challenged the Boston School Committee on its educational policies, including the racial imbalance of the schools. They argued there was a lack of quality education in the black community. Eventually a new law made racial imbalance illegal in schools. Boston Public Schools were then penalized for their role in this.

It was around this time that many suburban residents realized that their children were also inadequately educated because of racial isolation. The combination of concerns and legislative action resulted in the establishment of the METCO Program, where students from inner cities would be bused out to the burbs in an effort for more diversity.

In September 1966, Arlington, Braintree, Brookline, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, and Wellesley elected to try out the the busing plan. The school systems each figured out the number of children they would enroll, and which years they would include. A total of 220 children from Boston's African American communities of Roxbury and the South End were enrolled as pupils across the seven communities.

Today, Newton's METCO program is the largest, according to the Newton Public Schools website, maintaining a targeted enrollment of 415 students across 21 schools and all grades.

Want to keep up to date on the latest news? Of course you do: Follow the Newton Patch on Facebook.

WHEN: Saturday, April 29th
WHERE: Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St. (Newton)
WHEN: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
WHO: Katherine Jones – Founding Director, Newton METCO Program
Kay Kahn - State Representative
David Fleishman - Superintendent of Schools
WHAT: 50th Anniversary Celebration of METCO Program in the Newton Public Schools