The Metco Program is a grant program funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is a voluntary program intended to expand educational opportunities, increase diversity, and reduce racial isolation, by permitting students in certain cities to attend public schools in other communities that have agreed to participate.

This amazing program, that has benefitted millions of Massachusetts students and residents since 1966, is still reeling from 9C budget cuts in FY15. We are asking for the legislature to fund the program at $23 million. This number was arrived at from the 2015/16 transportation shortfall of $1.9 million plus a match of the 4% increase to Chapter 70, which is where METCO would be, had funding grown at the same rate as CH 70 since FY99.