Boston Extends Timeline For Analysis Of School Assignment Plans

The timeline for developing a new school assignment plan for Boston Public Schools has been extended through January, a move welcomed by some parent advocates.

An external advisory committee set up by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino says it needs more time as experts from MIT and Harvard continue to analyze the proposed plans to overhaul the way students are assigned to elementary and secondary schools.

That's an important step in the right direction, says Kim Janey of Massachusetts Advocates for Children.

"There are areas within the city that have concentrations of under-performing schools," Janey said. "So I'm very much concerned that there will be families who will be locked out of good schools because of where they live."

What's really needed is more time to improve the schools, Janey says, so that when a new system is implemented there won't be children who have access to good schools and some who don't.