METCO education program worried about funding after $500,000 budget cut
BOSTON - The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) received a big blow when Governor Healey's proposed 2024 budget revealed a $500,000 cut to the popular educational program in Boston, founded more than 50 years ago.
Now, METCO says proposed cuts are sparking worries about the future. The program promotes opportunity and racial diversity. Advocates say they need more money to continue to do that. It's asking for an additional $2.8 million dollars to help with inflation and rising transportation costs.
"Everything costs more, and we are feeling it," said Karsten Cash, current director of METCO Wellesley.
METCO alumni, students and parents came together at the Massachusetts State House on Tuesday to lobby for increased funding.
State Representative Christopher Worrell, a METCO alum, said it was an incredible show of support. "They were talking about how $32.2 million is so important for their livelihood," said Rep. Worrell. He said hundreds gathered on Beacon Hill in support of the organization.
"If certain money isn't allocated to METCO, you don't have proper busing to get kids back home to football practice or basketball practice," explained Rep. Worrell. "Taking away the busing for after-school activities is critical."
Removing the funding would mean less enrollment, and METCO students may lose involvement in extracurricular activities because of losing transportation.
Cash hopes it doesn't come to that. "We hope there wouldn't be cuts; we hope there wouldn't be fewer busses; we hope there wouldn't be less opportunity for students to participate in chorus or travel."
A sentiment area residents and METCO alum agree with.
"METCO was the place where you got the opportunity. You could do things you cannot do here," said Tracey Williams of Roxbury.
If they don't receive the additional funding and lose the money toward that program, some of the inclusion work METCO does could be put on hold.
Cash says they would need to look at other fundraising measures to avoid cuts.
"We need to rally our supporters and let the governor know what this means to us personally," said Cash.
He and Rep. Worrell are urging the public in support of METCO by calling their local elected officials and joining their efforts.