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Source: Boston Globe [Read Article]

From the Globe:

Boston school Superintendent Carol R. Johnson is exploring the idea of admitting sixth-graders to Boston Latin and the city’s other two exam schools, a change that could ease the transition from elementary school for some students but potentially create new obstacles for others seeking entrance to the elite institutions.

I can see why BPS Superintendent Carol R. Johnson would consider such an idea. The exam schools here in Boston, namely Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, and the John D. O’Bryant school, offer grades 7-12. Elementary school, however, ends after the 5th grade, and students do not take the entrance exam for these schools until the sixth grade. Either way, students have to go to a school and only stay there for one year before switching schools again. Changing the schools to add the sixth grade would very well allow students to take an entrance examination (namely, the ISEE) during the 5th grade, going straight to their exam school to begin the sixth grade.

But in my last year or two at Boston Latin Academy, the school was already packed. I don’t think there would be enough space to hold these extra students or to have classrooms for the new teachers of these incoming sixth graders, were such a plan to take effect. From my personal experience, the gap year wasn’t so bad. I pretty much had a feeling it would be a gap year and I felt like it was just a transition for me. It does suck to be in the school’s lowest grade for two straight years, but you get over it. It’s the kind of idea that is good, but logistically not possible at the moment and probably not the best idea to pursue. But I will give credit to Superintendent Johnson for thinking about and and exploring new ideas.

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