Boston Council Hears Plan to Overhaul Exam School Admissions Ahead of November Vote

BOSTON -- September 29, 2025, Boston's City Council committee reviewed a sweeping overhaul of exam school admissions ahead of a November 5 school committee vote. Superintendent Mary Skipper presented three core recommendations at the September 29 Committee on Education hearing, chaired by Councilor Henry Santana: add a citywide round reserving the first 20 percent of seats at each of the three exam schools for the highest composite scorers who ranked that school first, eliminate all school-based bonus points, and reduce housing-based bonus points from 15 to 10. Simulation data presented by Monica Hogan, chief of data, information, and systems improvement, showed that under the recommended scenario the share of white students receiving invitations would rise from 27 percent to 31 percent using the 2024-25 applicant pool, while Black student invitations would slip from 20 percent to 19 percent and Latinx invitations from 25 percent to 22 percent. Councilor Julia M. Mejia asked pointedly whether the increases "will benefit students who are not of color, basically," and Hogan confirmed the pattern held for that applicant pool. The district is asking the school committee to keep any approved policy unchanged for at least three admissions cycles. If approved November 5, the new rules would apply to the 2026-27 admissions cycle.