METCO

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METCO stands for the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, a state-funded, voluntary, educational desegregation program designed to eliminate racial imbalance through busing. The METCO program is funded by an annual state grant under the Racial Imbalance Act.

Mission

METCO’s mission is to provide, through professional leadership and voluntary citizen action, the development and promotion of quality integrated educational opportunities for urban and suburban students in the Greater Boston community, and to work toward the expansion of a collaborative education program with the Boston and suburban school systems.

METCO in Wellesley

Wellesley began its relationship with the METCO program in 1966 as one of the original seven founding districts.  About 150 METCO students are enrolled in grades K-12 in all nine of the Wellesley Public Schools: Bates, Fiske, Hardy, Hunnewell, Schofield, Sprague, and Upham elementary schools, Wellesley Middle School, and Wellesley High School.  Enrollment is based on annual program funding, available seating, and completion of the METCO, Inc. enrollment process.