Boston's METCO program, a long-standing effort to desegregate schools and improve educational opportunities for students from the city's diverse communities, is showing significant positive outcomes. According to recent research led by Elizabeth Setren from Tufts University and reported by NBC Boston, students who participate in the METCO program are notching higher scores on standardized tests and are more likely to enroll in four-year colleges than their peers who don’t get the opportunity to join the program.
The data dug deep into the program’s impact, spanning almost three decades from 1990-91 through 2019-2020 school years. It highlighted that METCO pupils had a lower dropout rate and a higher graduation rate on time, in contrast to their counterparts. Setren spoke at The Boston Foundation and stressed the significance of the findings, explaining, "METCO is increasing the likelihood of students (that) are aspiring to college by a pretty substantial amount."
As per NBC Boston, the study also points to increased earnings and a higher employment rate by age 25 for METCO alumni. In the realm of testing, SAT-test taking among these students rose by 30%, and they had a better chance of scoring 1,000 or more on the SAT, though there's still room for improvement in the most competitive score categories.
A closer look at the study's figures, highlighted by WBUR, shows that the program is not without its areas for growth. METCO participants were not particularly more likely to take Advanced Placement classes or to achieve an SAT score of at least 1200. “Even though METCO participants are enrolling in schools with access to more rigorous coursework, they are more likely to be in relatively lower-performing math and English courses,” Setren noted in Tuesday's interview.
