Examining the Success of Boston's Metco Program in School Integration

The term “Boston busing” often evokes memories of racial tension and resistance surrounding school integration in the 1970s. However, a unique program known as Metco has emerged over the decades, presenting a compelling case for successful school integration efforts in the Boston region.

Metco, which transports thousands of primarily Black and Hispanic students from Boston to predominantly white suburban schools, has received renewed attention following a recent study by Tufts University economist Elizabeth Setren. Her research highlights the positive long-term effects of the program on student outcomes, marking a significant shift in the narrative around school busing.

The findings are striking: students in the Metco program showed a modest increase in test scores, but the most notable progress appeared in their educational achievements post-high school. The rates of high school completion and college attendance saw substantial improvements—a jump from 26% to 38% in graduation rates. Additionally, when these students transitioned into the workforce, their incomes were several thousand dollars higher than their peers who did not participate in Metco.

Such impactful results are rarely observed in educational studies, making the Metco initiative a critical case for analysis. While extraordinary gains in educational research are challenging to replicate, they’re essential for understanding how similar programs might be implemented elsewhere.

Insights from the Study

To delve deeper into her findings, I spoke with Setren to gain insight into the factors contributing to Metco’s success. Key questions revolved around whether the program delivered superior educational quality, offered more integrated environments, provided access to higher-achieving peer groups, or if all these aspects collectively played a role.

Setren highlighted her personal connection to the issue, recalling her own experience attending a diverse high school in Baltimore. This background fueled her interest in examining how integrated schooling impacts educational policy and student outcomes.

Changes in Student Experience

Setren noted that Metco students experience smaller class sizes—on average, about two students fewer—and are placed alongside higher-achieving peers. However, participation also entails long bus rides and potential limitations in after-school engagement. Interestingly, while Metco students benefit from more advanced coursework availability, such as AP classes, they do not necessarily enroll in these classes at higher rates. Positively, their suspension rates are lower, and their attendance rates are typically better than their peers in non-Metco schools.

Interestingly, the program also seems to be associated with a higher likelihood of students being identified for special education services. While this could be interpreted either positively—as gaining access to necessary support—or negatively, as a reflection of potential biases in educational assessments, the implications warrant further investigation.

A Unique Educational Advantage

Despite the modest improvements in test scores, the significant uplift in college completion rates stands out. In comparison to findings in Boston charter schools, which often report larger test score increases, Metco's sustained effects on college trajectories are particularly striking.

Setren observes that individual students’ backgrounds influence these outcomes. The greatest benefits accrued primarily to those less likely to have access to college knowledge at home, especially when their previous schools had poorer college outcomes for their students.

The Role of Peer Influence

One hypothesis worth exploring is whether the positive effects of Metco stem more from the type of peers students interacted with rather than the educational content received. While it’s challenging to disentangle these elements, shifts in college expectations and peer influence likely contribute significantly to the observed success.

Impact on Suburban Schools

Interestingly, Setren’s research indicates that Metco does not adversely affect suburban school students. There are no declines in test scores or behavioral issues attributed to the enrollment of Metco students. In fact, participation appears to maintain the status quo without introducing negative consequences for existing students.

Future Implications

Looking ahead, Setren is also exploring how Metco influences students' attitudes and overall well-being, with findings on these aspects still pending. The broader implications of her research suggest that many school districts nationwide are implementing some form of racial or socioeconomic integration, providing a diverse set of frameworks from which to draw lessons based on Metco’s successes. The program offers a compelling illustration of the disparities between environments with different college-going cultures—shifting from “Are you going to college?” to “Where will you go to college?”

This transformation speaks volumes about the importance of context in educational initiatives and raises essential questions about how to replicate such success in other educational systems.

—Matt Barnum is Chalkbeat’s ideas editor. Reach him at [email protected].