Advanced Work Class (AWC)

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* UPDATE March 1, 2010:  The School Choice forms for families making Advanced Work Class (AWC) choices were delayed. Schools will be able to pick up the forms on March 3 for distribution to families shortly thereafter.  Please contact your child's school if you do not receive the form by Monday, March 9.

About Advanced Work Class

Advanced Work Class (AWC) is a full-time program in the Boston Public Schools that provides an accelerated academic curriculum for students in grades 4, 5 and 6. Students are expected to complete more school work and more home study. Student participation is by invitation only and is based solely on the student’s scores on an eligibility test.  New this fall, BPS will administer the TerraNova, third edition, to determine eligibility for the AWC program and the SUPERA test to determine eligibility for the Spanish AWC program. 

Application Process

For current Boston Public Schools students:

•    All Boston Public Schools students in grades 3, 4 and 5 are tested for eligibility for AWC in late September / early October at their school. Spanish-speaking bilingual students are tested in their native language.

•    All students will receive letters in January notifying them of their eligibility for AWC.

•    In January (for sixth grade applicants) and February (for fourth and fifth grade applicants), students will receive applications at their schools listing all AWC and non-AWC school choices for which they are eligible. Families complete the application, indicating school choices in order of preference, and return it to the student’s current school for processing. Please note that a school that offers both AWC and non-AWC will be listed twice. Families interested in AWC courses need to select the school option that also states AWC (i.e. Murphy AWC)

•    Students will be notified in mid-March (grade six applicants) or late April (grade 4 and 5 applicants) of their school assignments.

For students not currently enrolled in the Boston Public Schools:

•    Boston students not currently attending Boston Public Schools may register to take the eligibility exam. Registration materials are available at all private and parochial schools in Boston and at branches of the Boston Public Library, and there is no cost to take the exam.

•    This year the eligibility exam will be offered on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at the Washington Irving Middle School in Roslindale. The deadline to register is Friday, October 9, 2009.

•    Please note: In order to be considered for AWC, non-BPS students must take the TerraNova, third edition, eligibility exam offered by BPS, even if they already take a version of the TerraNova at their current school.

•    Non-BPS students also will receive by mail applications listing all AWC and non-AWC choices for which they are eligible on the same timeline as stated above.  These will be accompanied by BPS registration materials. Families should indicate their school choices in order of preference on the AWC application form. The completed AWC choice forms and registration materials must be brought, along with proof of Boston residency documentation and immunization records, to the BPS Enrollment Services Office at 26 Court Street.

•    Student notification for is the same as listed above for current BPS families.

For more information

You can learn more about Advanced Work Class by downloading the attached brochure (English & Spanish).

For more information about the application and enrollment process, please contact the Enrollment Services Office at 617-635-9512.