NYC has nine specialized high schools. These are schools that students currently have to test to get into. There is a proposal to change that. Under the proposal, the SHSAT will be phased out in the next few years. This will change the admissions policy for eight of the nine schools. When I first heard about this I was annoyed.
See, I’m not a participation parent. I don’t think people should receive awards just for showing up. So, when I heard that they were hoping to phase out the testing it concerned me. I can admit that sometimes I am wrong. Once I read the Specialized High Schools Proposal I realized that this is something I can support.
This Tuesday there will be a Q&A about the proposal at Booker T. Washington High School (103 W 107th St, New York, NY 10025) at 7:30pm. I know some of your littles are a little way away from applying for high school but they will get there. I hope you will take your time to read the Specialized High Schools Proposal and if available show up and get your questions answered.
By phasing out the test policy we can see a 36% point increase in offers to Latino and Black students entering the specialized schools and an 18% point increase in offers to female students. Now, you have to understand that these students won’t be receiving offers simply because they are students of Color or because they are girls. They will be offered placements because they deserve them. They will be part of the top 7% of their schools.
I’m excited that the conversation is happening. We hear a lot in this world about equality but not as much about equity. This is a great beginning to looking at how to make things equitable to students that may not have resources to take test prep classes or just might not test as well as some of their peers.
