Boston takes steps to unify school application forms

Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2015/09/21/boston-takes-steps-to-unify-school-application-forms/

Students, their parents and educators are being invited to community meetings starting next month to discuss plans to create one form for applying for Boston charter and district school slots, City Hall said Friday.

The six meetings begin Oct. 8 in Dorchester at the Kroc Center. It’s set to start at 5:30 p.m. . The series will conclude Nov. 17 at the West End Boys and Girls Club in Allston, according to the city.

The step builds on efforts by the Boston Compact to foster cooperation between district, charter and parochial schools in the city. That work began in 2011.

“We are excited to begin the citywide community conversation about how we can build on the collaboration between district, charter and Catholic schools,” Rachel Weinstein, chief collaboration officer for the Boston Compact, said in a statement about the coming meetings.

“Families need a clear and simple path to school enrollment and a unified enrollment system will level the playing field for all Boston’s families,” Mayor Martin J. Walsh said in the statement. “We look forward to hearing any ideas, thoughts and concerns from the community on how a unified system might work in Boston and increasing success for all of Boston’s schools and students.”

Before a method to unify enrollment in Boston could be implemented, it would first have to win approval from the School Committee, individual charter schools and the legislature, the city said.