Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Boston School Committee approved the elimination of bonus points for exam applicants coming from schools in high poverty areas on Wednesday.
Points will also be reduced for students who are homeless or live in public housing. The changes will impact the admission policies for Boston Latin Academy, the John O'Bryant School of Math and Science and the Boston Latin School.
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The school committee approved the changes in a 4-2 vote with members Rafaela Polanco Garcia and Stephen Alkins voting against the decision. Jeri Robinson, the school board chairperson voted in favor of the changes along with the vice chairperson, Michael O'Neill, Quoc Tran and Rachel Skerritt after the new policy was implemented in 2021. The updated policy will open 20 percent of all seats at exam-based schools to students regardless of their economic status.
Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper recommended the policy changes in September. The changes will remain for at least three years. Several attendees pushed back against the revisions claiming that the new system would greatly impact a policy created to allow better educational opportunities for students of diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.