METCO PARENT AGREEMENT

All applicants to METCO must read and sign this agreement in order for their application to be complete, and for the student to be eligible for referral to a partner district. Violation of any part of this agreement may result in the suspension of the student's application or enrollment in the METCO program.

I certify that:

• I am the legal guardian of this student and the child resides with me in Boston.
• I have provided true, accurate, and complete information.

I understand that:

• I must be a Boston resident to participate in the METCO program. If my student does not reside in the City of Boston before or after enrollment in a METCO district, they will no longer be eligible for referral or enrollment.
• Completing an application does not guarantee that my student will be referred to or enrolled in a METCO district.
• I may select three METCO districts and rank them in order of preference. When selecting my preferred 3 Districts, I will do my due diligence to make sure that the selected districts accept students in the grade my student will be entering next Fall.  If  my child is referred, s/he will be referred to one of my three choices. 
• I may choose not to do school ranking and just apply to the METCO program. By doing so, I will be referred to any METCO district that has space availability, based on lottery number and sequence of district requests. 
• Referral is based on eligibility for METCO, validity and completeness of documentation, and space availability in corresponding grades in METCO districts.
• If referred, my child will be referred with a cohort of applicants. Referral does not guarantee acceptance or enrollment.
• Siblings will receive preference for referral to a METCO district if there is availability in the corresponding grade, but acceptance and placement are not guaranteed.
• Referrals to METCO districts occur between the end of  January  and October 1 of each school year, based on lottery number and sequence of district requests.
• If referred to a METCO district, I may be asked by that district to complete additional steps: an interview, open house, and/or orientation, submission of academic, attendance, and/or discipline records, and/or provision of teacher recommendations before an enrollment decision is finalized.
• Failure to complete the additional steps at the district level could result in my application not being reviewed.
• Each student can be referred to a maximum of one district per year. If I choose to decline enrollment in a METCO district, my student will not be referred to other districts this school year.
• Transportation to METCO districts is available from a limited number of bus stops in Boston; I am responsible for getting my student to an existing bus stop or arranging other transportation.
• Once enrolled, METCO does not transfer students between districts. Enrolled students must completely withdraw from their current METCO school district before applying during the next application cycle for the following school year.  
• Any falsification, alteration, or withholding of information may result in the termination of my student from the referral and enrollment process.

I agree that:

• I will notify METCO HQ if anything changes related to my student’s residency and/or contact information.
• I will keep my child enrolled in other school options until my student is fully accepted and enrolled in a METCO district.