M.E.T.C.O. which stands for Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, is a desegregation program, funded by the state of Massachusetts. The program has existed since 1966 and Newton was one of the original towns that participated in the program. M.E.T.C.O. brings students of color from Boston to predominantly white suburban school systems so that students of color will receive a quality education and so that white suburban students will not be educated in isolation from other races. The Newton M.E.T.C.O. program is the largest M.E.T.C.O. program in the state with over four hundred students who are placed in all of the Newton schools. This year Newton North has fifty six students from Boston.