Boston School Choice Surprise

I’ve written previously on the Boston school lottery and last week was an eventful one.

In 2004, a blue ribbon panel looked at the Boston School Assignment system, floated a few proposals (like six zones), but ultimately decided not to make wholesale changes. (The chair of that panel, incidentally, called for a complete end to busing, and thus the assignment zones by my reading, a few weeks ago in the Globe.

In last year’s State of the City address, Mayor Menino called on the school department to reexamine the zone assignment systems for savings.

And then, with no lead up or hearings, the School Department released its FY10 budget cutting plan with a five zone school assignment proposal.

It’s interesting for a couple of reasons. First, its not clear how serious they are — is this just to rile up the parents or are they serious about implementation?

Second, how would the logistics work — the new five zones were released two days before the end of the lottery selection process for the old three zones — does everyone start over?

Third — how will this save money this year — assuming you aren’t pulling kids in the higher grades out of their current school — won’t almost every bus run still have to be made?