In light of accelerating enrollments in the Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) and the resulting crowding of all eight elementary schools, the Brookline School Committee is seeking recommendations for how to expand the flexibility allowed the Superintendent to assign students to schools where resources afford the best possible education for that student.

 That flexibility is given to the Superintendent when a Brookline student lives in a designated "buffer zone."  

Last December, an Ad Hoc Subcommittee was established to make recommendations to the School Committee on how best to expand PSB buffer zones.  That Subcommittee has finished its preliminary set of proposals and now seeks input from the public before taking recommendations to the School Committee.

You can find the following documents at the school website: 1) map showing current buffer zones, 2) map showing the Subcommittee's initial proposed changes to buffer zones (with current buffers included marked with a cross-hatch), and 3) a fact sheet on Buffer Zones and this process.

http://brookline.k12.ma.us/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=203

The Subcommittee invites public comment on these draft proposals.  There will be public hearings for this purpose on Thursday, January 26, 2012 and Thursday, February 9, 2012.  Both hearings are at 7:00 PM at Town Hall in the School Committee Room, 5th Floor.  You can also send comments to the Subcommittee Chair, Rebecca Stone, at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .