Colleagues,
Some interesting facts were included on this piece on school choice.
“Currently, three high schools, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, Central High School and Duggan Academy are the most popular, and both Putnam and Duggan have a wait list this year.”
“But it still worries School Committee members, especially since there are not enough vocational programs to meet the interest of students across Western Massachusetts, and they often hear from adults outside the city who want to enroll their children in Putnam.”
“Everyone wants to go to Putnam. Everyone wants to go to Central. Unfortunately, not everyone can go,” School Committee member Peter Murphy said. “It is a product of a dearth of vocational education in this region.”
David
<![if !vml]><![endif]>Springfield considers opening high school slots to students from other communities
- Published: Sep. 06, 2024, 5:00 a.m.
By Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD — Educators here want to expand school choice to high school grades for the first time, since a decline in enrollment is leaving open seats in some classrooms.
But School Committee members are hesitant, saying they do not want city teens to be pushed out of prime slots in schools by students from other communities.
School choice allows districts across the commonwealth to accept students from other communities, receiving tuition from the sending school. Under the program, the School Committee can decide how many children in each grade and school they will accept every year, but once students are enrolled, they are allowed to remain in the district until graduation.
There are very few children who attend Springfield public schools under school choice. During fiscal 2024, which ended in July, 12 children from other communities attended city schools through the program, earning the city $60,730 in tuition. Conversely, 829 students from Springfield attended a school outside the city, forcing the city to pay $6.6 million in tuition to other communities, according to state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data.
Most communities use the program to fill classrooms with low enrollments to bring in additional money, without having to add staff or other resources.
“There needs to be 95% capacity. If you are over 95%, you are not allowed to take students under school choice,” Patrick Roach, chief financial and operations director for the schools, said, explaining the Springfield schools’ policy.
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Before making a decision, School Committee member Denise Hurst said she wants a “slew of information,” including the number of vacancies at different high schools, the money the school district could gain from accepting high school students and other data about the program.
“My issue is that we cannot have other students coming from other surrounding districts, taking slots from other kids who have been here their entire lives, and hoping and wishing they are going to get into a particular high school,” Hurst said.
School Committee member LaTonia Monroe Naylor agreed, saying city residents have invested in the schools, which now offer a wide range of advanced placement courses, athletics, music programs and more, and children of those families should not be denied opportunities to participate in the offerings.
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Currently, three high schools, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, Central High School, and Duggan Academy are the most popular, and both Putnam and Duggan have a wait list this year. Renaissance High School is filled some years and has room other years, Roach said. Roach said he was unsure if Central has a waiting list this year. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Central is popular in part because of its strong athletic program that helps students graduate to play college sports.
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The schools most likely to be open for out-of-town students are the High School of Commerce and the High School of Science and Technology, Roach said.
But it still worries School Committee members, especially since there are not enough vocational programs to meet the interest of students across Western Massachusetts, and they often hear from adults outside the city who want to enroll their children in Putnam.
“Everyone wants to go to Putnam. Everyone wants to go to Central. Unfortunately, not everyone can go,” School Committee member Peter Murphy said. “It is a product of a dearth of vocational education in this region.” Board members agreed to discuss it more in subcommittee before making a final decision.
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira
