New York’s Best Schools Need to Do Better

Another NYTimes editorial opinion.

Many Asian-American New Yorkers have objected to eliminating the exam, arguing that the mayor’s plan would deny admission to hard-working and high-achieving children in their communities. Many alumni at Stuyvesant and other specialized high schools have argued that dropping the test would lead to the admission of students who could not handle the rigorous curriculum. But where’s the evidence?


An admissions policy that is demonstrably unfair shouldn’t be allowed to continue simply because it has worked for certain groups. As the city schools chancellor, Richard Carranza, has said, public education belongs to the entire city.


Research shows that grades are a better predictor of success than a single exam, particularly for black and Latino children who come from communities that have faced generations of racism. Elite colleges like Harvard and Yale don’t use a single exam to admit students. Why would a New York City public school?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/30/opinion/new-york-specialized-high-schools-black-hispanic.html