1. education
2. school

Needham Public Schools
METCO Program
School Committee Presentation
April 7, 2015
Presenters: Shakur Abdal-Khallaq, Ms. Leslie Smart, Ms. Tamara Peeples, Mrs. Sincerey Diego, Miss. Ebony Diego,
Mrs. Yardley Theolien, Mr. Radley Theolien, Dr. Joanne Allen-Willoughby
Agenda
u  Needham Public Schools METCO Program 2015
The Vision
Who we Are
u  Achievements
Elementary
Parent/Student Voices
Data – Ms. Tamara Peeples, Elementary Coordinator
Middle School
Parent/Student Voices
Data – Ms. Leslie Smart, Middle School Coordinator
High School
Parent/Student Voices
Data – Mr. Shakur Abdal-Khallaq
u  METCO of the 21rst Century
Budget
Enrollment
Moving Forward
Needham Public Schools
METCO Program
The Vision
1969 - 2015
The Vision
“METCO is seen as an opportunity for suburban Boston communities to improve the quality
of their respective school systems and to provide new learning experiences for their resident
students as well as for children from Boston. The METCO students bring fresh insights and
new perspectives to the suburban classroom. METCO is a two-way street benefitting all
children.” Hayden 1970
.
Needham Public Schools
METCO Program
Who We Are
1969 - 2015
114 Blacks
53 Hispanics
20 Asian
13 Mix Race
8 Hawaiian
7 Indian Pacific
Breakdown of METCO Population
Black
Asian
Mix Race
Asian Pacific/
Hawaiian
Hispanic
9 Languages are
Spoken
These numbers are based on data provided NPS PowerSchool.
Needham Public Schools
METCO Students
Participation in Extra Curricular Activities
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
Elementary
Middle School
High School
0%
Extra Curricula Activities include activities which take place in Needham and Boston
Elementary School
High Lights
Academic
•  Jumpstart
•  Math League
Support Services
•  Affinity Lunch Groups
•  METCO Inc. Tutorial Services
•  Independent tutoring programs
Extra Curricula Activities
•  90% of our students participate in the Family Friends Program
•  15 - Students participate in the Band and String Program
•  6 - Students participate in the Needham Recreation Program
•  Several students participate in NEDP
Middle School
Highlights
Academics
•  2/3 of our 7th and 8th grade students take level A math
•  59% of students scored Proficient or Advanced on ELA MCAS
•  49% of Students scored Proficient or Advanced on Math MCAS
Support Services
•  Students Working And Growing - SWAG
•  METCO Inc. Tutorial Services
Extra Curricular Activities
•  65% of students participate in activities outside of school in Boston and
Needham. Activities include Competitive Swimming Leagues,
Football, Soccer, Basketball, Music, Dance, Boys and Girls Clubs
Programs.
•  100% of 8th Grade students have either begun or completed
Community Service hours.
Needham Public Schools
High School
MCAS Scores
12
MCAS
10
8
Advanced
Advanced
6
4
2
Proficient
Needs
Improvement
0
•  100% of eligible METCO students have “passed” the MCAS
•  85% of MCAS scores were Advanced or Proficient
Proficient
Needs
Improvement
METCO High School Student
Course Level
by
Subject
2014-2015
English
Math
Science
AP
AP
AP
Accel
Accel
Accel
Honors
Honors
Honors
Standard
Standard
Standard
Foreign
Language
AP
Accel
Honors
Standard
History
AP
Accel
Honors
Standard
Needham Public Schools
High School
Extracurricular Activities
30
Work
25
20
School Club/
Activity
15
School Sport
10
Outside Club/
Activity
5
Outside Sport
0
Extracurriculars
•  81% of students (36 of 44) are involved in some sort of extracurricular
activity
•  57% of students (25 of 44) students have participated in a school sport this
year, 70% of students (31 of 44) have participated in a sport in their high
school career
Needham Public Schools
Graduation Rates
2007-2015
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
# Graduated
# METCO
students in
Grade 12
0
5
10
Between 2007 2015 99% -100% of our seniors graduated
15
Needham Public School
METCO Enrollment
by
School
Broadmeadow Number of
Students
(14)
Eliot
Number of
Students
(22)
Kindergarten
0
Grade 1
4
Grade 2
4
Kindergarten
4
Grade 3
2
Grade 1
7
Grade 4
4
Grade 2
4
Grade 5
0
Grade 3
2
Grade 4
3
Grade 5
2
Needham Public School
METCO Enrollment
by
School
Hillside
Number of
Students (19)
Kindergarten
3
Grade 1
8
Grade 2
2
Grade 3
5
Grade 4
0
Grade 5
1
Mitchell
Number of
Students (19)
Kindergarten 4
Grade 1
3
Grade 2
2
Grade 3
4
Grade 4
5
Grade 5
2
Needham Public School
METCO Enrollment
by
School
Newman
Number of
students (5)
Kindergarten
0
Grade 1
0
Grade 2
2
Grade 3
2
Grade 4
1
Grade 5
0
Needham Public Schools has traditionally only accepted
students in kindergarten and first grade.
METCO admission is based on seats available.
Needham Public School
METCO Enrollment
by
School
High Rock
Number of
Students (7)
Grade 6
7
Pollard
Number of Students (32)
Grade 7
19
Grade8
13
Enrollment Recommendations:
•  Admit students in second and third
grade.
•  Hold a specified number of seats in grade
k and 1 for METCO students.
•  Admit students in grade 6 and 9.
High School
Number of Students
(44)
Grade 9
15
Grade 10
13
Grade 11
10
Grade 12
6
METCO Budget
2014-2015
Funds Allocated
August 2014
-
$854,050.00
9 C State Budget Cuts
December 2014
-
($13,245.00)
9 C State Budget Cuts
March 2016
-
($43,497.00)
Total Cuts
($56,742.00)
2014-2015 METCO Budget after 9C cuts
Effects of Budget Cuts
Tutorial Services
Transportation
Summer Programming
Staffing
District wide community building activities
Clinicians
$797,308.00
METCO Program Review
Action Steps
Improve METCO Student Achievement
•  Full-day Jumpstart
•  Developed a k-12 assessment to track student achievement
•  In collaboration with METCO Inc. provide afterschool tutorial services
•  2015 – 2016 Convene a short term task force comprised of administrators, teachers
and students to analyze student achievement
Increase Parent Satisfaction
•  Create a METCO Parent Advisory Board
•  2015-2016 Survey staff, METCO and Needham parents regarding the METCO
Program
•  Redesign METCO Parent Handbook
•  Review transportation needs
Improve the Community’s Understanding of METCO
•  The METCO Department will address the School Committee annually
•  The METCO Director will prepare an annual report
•  The METCO Office will continue work in collaboration the MLK Committee and
the Diversity Task Force to promote cultural proficiency.
METCO in the 21rst Century
Moving Forward
“The current METCO Program is more than a desegregation program, its and opportunity to advance the
dialogue and educate all of our students in an environment which embraces different perspective and produces
students that will effect positive change in a global society.” J. Allen-Willoughby 2015
How do we do this:
u  Provide academic support services beginning in elementary school, which prepare students for
advance level course selection in High School.
u  Continually develop transportation options which allow students to fully participate in extracurricular activities.
u  Work in collaboration with Boston resident parent to enhance parent involvement.
u  Advance the dialogue regarding race and cultural difference k-12.
u  Encourage the development of cultural proficiency professional development for all staff.
u  Encourage the development of culturally proficient curriculum development.
METCO in the 21rst Century
Moving Forward
“Let’s have a talk. I want everyone to enter this conversation with an open
mind and, when it’s over, it is not my goal for you to think the way that I do or
feel the way that I feel. But instead, I hope that at the very least, you can begin
to understand why I think the way that I do and feel the way that I feel.”
Michelle Comma, Class of 2017 NHS