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Schools

School Committee Says No To School Choice

Opening the district to students from other towns would cost the district money.

 

The Swampscott School Committee voted not to open the district to school choice at their meeting last week.

School choice, which allows students from other districts to attend school outside the district in which they live, is allowable if approved by school officials.

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District Business Manager Ed Cronin told the committee on Wednesday that the state would pay $5,000 for each student who chose to go to school in Swampscott.

But it costs $7,500 to $8,000 per student to educate them, he said.

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The School Committee voted unanimously to not go with the choice option, said member Marianne Hartmann said.  

"I would love to have school choice because it's great for the diversity of the school system but we can not afford it," she said in an interview.

There are some districts in the state that allow choice, the School Committee member said.

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