The Wayland METCO program:
Past students’ experiences

Since 1968, the Wayland Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program has allowed Boston resident students to attend Wayland Public Schools. The METCO program seeks to break racial barriers in education and provide Boston resident students with educational resources they may not have in the area they live in.

 

In 1966, 220 Boston resident students ages five to 16 were enrolled in schools in towns of Arlington, Braintree, Brookline, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton and Wellesley through the METCO program. Two years later, the Massachusetts Government passed the Racial Imbalance Act, making the Commonwealth of Massachusetts financially responsible for students enrolling in out-of-town districts for integration purposes. Wayland officially joined the METCO program that same year.

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Currently, there are 190 schools and 3,205 students statewide enrolled in the METCO program. According to current Wayland METCO coordinator La Toya Rivers, the program’s most important goal is to provide Boston resident students with educational opportunities. 

 

“We have to make sure that we’re offering diverse opportunities, and that the opportunities are accessible to all,” Rivers said.

 

According to some past METCO students, the Wayland METCO program provided them with an exceptional educational foundation to move forward with. Some believe that without the METCO program, they would not have been taught crucial life skills. 

 

“It can’t be denied that if I had not gone to high school in Wayland that I might be at a disadvantage,” Class of 1971 METCO graduate Elliott Francis said. 

 

On the other hand, some current and previous students consider transportation difficulties from Boston to Wayland to be a drawback of the program. Although the METCO program offers middle school and high school students a “late bus” that leaves about three hours later than the regular bus, some believe that this is still not enough.

 

“Being able to [stay later at school and] get on a late bus to go home was something that I cherished and I wish [METCO students] were able to do at a younger age, especially during elementary school when we're initially building relationships,” 2010 Wayland METCO graduate and Claypit Hill METCO Coordinator DeVaughn Cooper said.

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Another issue some METCO students faced was finding a place to fit in in a predominantly white school district like Wayland. According to past Wayland METCO student Giani Rodrigues, being in a predominantly white school district led to self-esteem issues surrounding her appearance. 

 

“[In Wayland,] I would think ‘every girl in my class has blonde hair, but I don't have blonde hair,’ or ‘their hair is straight, I want to go get my hair straightened,’” Rodrigues said.

 

To read more about some past Wayland METCO students’ individual experiences, click on their profiles below.