Letter: Words of praise for Acton’s special relationship with METCO

I’d like to take a minute to thank Acton Public Schools DEI Director Andrew Nyamekye, for inviting all Acton residents to visit the METCO headquarters in Roxbury.  

The group of us who attended the event last week were met by the President of METCO, Milly Arbaje-Thomas, who guided us through a phenomenal presentation filled with incredible statistics and information about the METCO program and its students.  

A few of the statistical highlights are as follows: METCO student placements are always a process of filling empty enrollment seats in Acton schools — it is not a matter of Acton expanding seat space. (The term for this model is “Marginal Seat Program.”) The METCO program pays Acton over $1 million dollars per year to host the METCO program and to pay for METCO transportation needs and all other program facilitation per pupil. Acton receives money and does not spend money for the METCO program. Lastly, METCO town membership is special — Acton is one of 33 towns that work with METCO. Other towns would like to participate but there aren’t new spots being offered.  

Acton is lucky to be part of METCO. The students, Andrew, METCO itself and the families in Acton and in and around Roxbury should be applauded for contributing to this groundbreaking program to integrate schools in Massachusetts.  

Thank you Andrew and Milly for all that you do for Acton and for its students.  

Lexie Thompson 

Central Street