School Committee Votes ‘No’ on School Choice Program

As in years prior, the School Committee was tasked with conducting its annual voting for or against the state school choice program.

The school choice program allows parents to send their children to schools in communities other than the city or town in which they reside and tuition is paid by the sending district to the receiving district.

The School Committee votes on the program every year and if they don’t make a decision, then the district is automatically enrolled in the program.

There was no shortage of opinions surrounded the school choice program at Monday night’s School Committee meeting.

“I’m speaking on behalf of several concerned citizens who don’t want school choice,” said resident Nick Tsiotes. “As a community we’ve gone forward with a new school, where class size could be a potential issue if students come in from other districts. Our students are thriving now and no community around us has school choice and reciprocates.”

The motion to not have school choice, was met with a majority, leaving School Committee Chairman Valentino Capobianco as the one member opting to bring the program to the district. Capobianco was a school choice student in 2003 while his family resided in East Boston. The option to attend the Winthrop school district opened up doors for Capobianco’s family, ultimately leading them to buy a house in Winthrop the spring after his freshman year.