Madina Touré, New York City education reporter for Politico New York, andClara Hemphill, founder of InsideSchools at the New School’s Center for New York City Affairs, discuss proposals to change admissions policies at NYC’s specialized high schools.
Tag: A10427
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SHSAT and Its Discontents: WNYC Audio Interviews
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A10427: An act to amend the education law, in relation to admission to the specialized high schools in the city of New York
10427--A I N A S S E M B L Y April 20, 2018 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BARRON, BLAKE, DAVILA, MONTESANO, PERRY, SIMON, STECK, PICHARDO, COOK, HOOPER, TAYLOR, RIVERA, PRETLOW, DE LA ROSA, TITUS, DICKENS, WRIGHT, VANEL, BICHOTTE, JOYNER, SOLAGES, ARROYO, WOERNER, THIELE, FERNANDEZ, ERRIGO, ESPINAL, WEPRIN, MOSLEY, GOTTFRIED -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to admission to the specialized high schools in the city of New York THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the education law, as amended by chapter 345 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows: (b) all specialized [senior] high schools. The [special] SPECIALIZED high schools shall include the [present] schools known as[:] The Bronx High School of Science, Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn Technical High School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music [and the Arts in the borough of Manhattan] & ART AND PERFORMING ARTS, and such [further] ADDITIONAL schools [which the city board may designate] AS MAY BE DESIGNATED BY THE CHANCELLOR from time to time. The [special] SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be permitted to maintain a discovery program in accordance with the law in effect on the date preceding the effective date of this section; PROVIDED THAT THE REQUIREMENT THAT A STUDENT WHO IS CONSIDERED FOR THE DISCOVERY PROGRAM ATTEND AND PASS A PREPARATORY PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL, DEMON- STRATING THEREBY HIS OR HER ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY COPE WITH THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, SHALL REFER TO A PROGRAM THAT CAN TAKE PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR OR THE SUMMER; admissions to the [special] SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be conducted in accordance with [the law in effect on the date preceding the effective date of this] section TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H-L OF THIS ARTICLE; EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00247-04-8
A. 10427--A 2 S 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the education law, as amended by chapter 720 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows: (b) all specialized [senior] high schools. The [special] SPECIALIZED high schools shall include the [present] schools known as[:] The Bronx High School of Science, Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn Technical High School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music [and the Arts in the borough of Manhattan] & ART AND PERFORMING ARTS, and such [further] ADDITIONAL schools [which the city board may designate] AS MAY BE DESIGNATED BY THE CHANCELLOR from time to time. The [special] SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be permitted to maintain a discovery program in accordance with the law in effect on the date preceding the effective date of this section; PROVIDED THAT THE REQUIREMENT THAT A STUDENT WHO IS CONSIDERED FOR THE DISCOVERY PROGRAM ATTEND AND PASS A PREPARATORY PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL, DEMON- STRATING THEREBY HIS OR HER ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY COPE WITH THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, SHALL REFER TO A PROGRAM THAT CAN TAKE PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR OR THE SUMMER; admissions to the [special] SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be conducted in accordance with [the law in effect on the date preceding the effective date of this] section TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H-1 OF THIS ARTICLE; S 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2590-h-1 to read as follows: S 2590-H-1. ADMISSIONS TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS. 1. ADMISSIONS TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT STUDENTS MAY ALSO BE ADMITTED TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY AND THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE SCHOOL YEARS PURSUANT TO THE DISCOVERY PROGRAM AS SET FORTH IN SECTION TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H OF THIS ARTICLE. 2. FOR THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS CONDUCTED DURING THE TWO THOUSAND EIGH- TEEN--TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN SCHOOL YEAR TO DETERMINE ADMISSIONS TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE OFFERED ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: (A) STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO ARE IN THE TOP THREE PERCENT OF THEIR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS, AS CALCU- LATED BASED ON MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, AND WHO ACHIEVE A COMPOSITE SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE FOR THE SCHOOL SUCH STUDENTS HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO ATTEND, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT SUCH STUDENTS SHALL ALSO RANK IN THE TOP QUARTER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE EIGHTH GRADE CITYWIDE BASED ON SUCH MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT OPENINGS SHALL BE RESERVED FOR SUCH STUDENTS AT EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS SECTION; (B) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE AND SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT EXAMINATION IN THE EIGHTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL FOR WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION; AND (C) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE AND SCHOLASTIC EXAMINATION IN THE NINTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL FOR WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION. A. 10427--A 3 3. FOR THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS CONDUCTED DURING THE TWO THOUSAND NINE- TEEN--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY SCHOOL YEAR TO DETERMINE ADMISSIONS TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY--TWO THOUSAND TWEN- TY-ONE SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE OFFERED ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: (A) STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO ARE IN THE TOP FIVE PERCENT OF THEIR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS, AS CALCU- LATED BASED ON MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, AND WHO ACHIEVE A COMPOSITE SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE FOR THE SCHOOL SUCH STUDENTS HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO ATTEND PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT SUCH STUDENTS SHALL ALSO RANK IN THE TOP QUARTER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE EIGHTH GRADE CITYWIDE BASED ON SUCH MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT OPENINGS SHALL BE RESERVED FOR SUCH STUDENTS AT EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS SECTION; (B) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE AND SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT EXAMINATION IN THE EIGHTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL FOR WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION; AND (C) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE AND SCHOLASTIC EXAMINATION IN THE NINTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL FOR WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION. 4. FOR THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS CONDUCTED DURING THE TWO THOUSAND TWEN- TY--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE SCHOOL YEAR AND SUBSEQUENT SCHOOL YEARS TO DETERMINE ADMISSIONS TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO THOU- SAND TWENTY-ONE--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO SCHOOL YEAR AND SUBSEQUENT SCHOOL YEARS, STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS SUBDIVI- SION SHALL BE OFFERED ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: (A) STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO ARE IN THE TOP FIVE TO SEVEN PERCENT OF THEIR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS, SUCH PERCENTAGE TO BE DETERMINED TO ALLOW OPENINGS TO REMAIN FOR ADMIS- SION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION AND AS CALCULATED BASED ON MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, DETERMINED AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, AND WHO ACHIEVE A COMPOSITE SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE FOR THE SCHOOL SUCH STUDENTS HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO ATTEND, DETERMINED AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT SUCH STUDENTS SHALL ALSO RANK 犀利士 IN THE TOP QUARTER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE EIGHTH GRADE CITYWIDE BASED ON SUCH MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT OPENINGS SHALL BE RESERVED FOR SUCH STUDENTS AT EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS SECTION; AND (B) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO HAVE A MINIMUM GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF 3.7, PROVIDED SUCH STUDENTS SHALL BE ADMITTED BY A RANDOM SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN EACH SCHOOL. 5. THE CHANCELLOR SHALL DETERMINE THE MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AS REFERENCED IN THIS SECTION, AND THE WEIGHT OF EACH SUCH MEASURE, PROVIDED THAT SUCH MEASURES SHALL INCLUDE ACADEMIC COURSE GRADES AND STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES. A DESCRIPTION OF SUCH MEASURES AND THE WEIGHT ACCORDED TO EACH SHALL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, INCLUDING ON THE WEBSITE OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. A STUDENT WHO IS EVALUATED BASED ON SUCH MEASURES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE A. 10427--A 4 ASSIGNED A COMPOSITE SCORE BASED ON SUCH WEIGHTED MEASURES. OFFERS OF ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISIONS TWO THROUGH FOUR OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE DETERMINED BY ARRANGING THE COMPOSITE SCORES OF ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE ASSIGNED SUCH SCORES AND WHO THEN COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ATTEND A PARTICULAR SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL IN DESCENDING ORDER FROM THE HIGHEST SCORE AND COUNTING DOWN TO THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE, WHICH SHALL BE THE COMPOSITE SCORE OF THE LAST STUDENT WHO RECEIVES AN OFFER OF ADMISSION TO SUCH SCHOOL BASED ON THE NUMBER OF OPENINGS AVAILABLE IN SUCH SCHOOL PURSUANT TO SUCH PARAGRAPH. 6. OFFERS OF ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPHS (B) AND (C) OF SUBDIVISIONS TWO AND THREE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE DETERMINED BY ARRANGING THE SCORES OF ALL THE CANDIDATES WHO TOOK THE COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE AND SCHOLASTIC EXAMINATION AND WHO THEN COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ATTEND A PARTICULAR SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL IN DESCENDING ORDER FROM THE HIGHEST SCORE AND COUNTING DOWN TO THE CUT-OFF SCORE, WHICH SHALL BE THE SCORE OF THE LAST CANDIDATE WHO RECEIVES AN OFFER OF ADMISSION TO SUCH SCHOOL BASED ON THE NUMBER OF OPENINGS AVAIL- ABLE IN SUCH SCHOOL. 7. THE NUMBER OF OPENINGS RESERVED AT EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVI- SIONS TWO THROUGH FOUR OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE DETERMINED BY MULTIPLY- ING: (A) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NINTH GRADE AVAILABLE OPENINGS AT SUCH SCHOOL; BY (B) THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISIONS TWO THROUGH FOUR OF THIS SECTION DIVIDED BY THE AGGREGATE NUMBER OF NINTH GRADE AVAILABLE OPENINGS IN ALL THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS. 8. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION TO THE CONTRARY, ADMISSION TO THE FIORELLO H. LAGUARDIA HIGH SCHOOL OF MUSIC & ART AND PERFORMING ARTS, AND OTHER SCHOOLS OF THE ARTS THAT MAY BE ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H OF THIS ARTICLE, SHALL BE DETER- MINED BY A STUDENT'S DEMONSTRATED ABILITIES IN MUSIC OR THE ARTS AS WELL AS SUCH STUDENT'S SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT. S 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the amendments to paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the education law made by section one of this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion of such section pursuant to subdivision 12 of section 17 of chapter 345 of the laws of 2009, as amended when upon such date the provisions of section two of this act shall take effect.
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74 Analysis Shows Girls Already Outperform Boys at NYC’s Elite Schools Amid Fear That Opening Up Admissions Would Water Down Quality
With the city’s focus on improving STEM options for girls, the use of the SHSAT seems a bit hypocritical
Perhaps, but the mayor’s initiative would also give more offers to a particular kind of student — one more likely to earn high GPAs, achieve college readiness on Regents exams, and graduate with top honors.
That type of student is girls.
According to the city’s calculation, girls would receive 62 percent of offers under the new policy — a big leap. Over the past three years, girls received 45 percent of offers; they constitute just 42 percent of the more than 15,000 students enrolled in the eight elite schools, a proportion that has remained essentially unchanged for years.
Although more girls than boys sit for the test, girls are less likely to get an offer and more likely to turn one down.
https://www.the74million.org/article/nyc-specialized-schools-girls-boys/
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Union chief says de Blasio’s plan to scrap the SHSAT is going nowhere in Albany
It seems unlikely that Bill A10427 will succeed, according to Michael Mulgrew. This has been our assumption from the beginning as well.
“I don’t believe at this point in time it can pass in the next legislative session because it has been so highly politicized,” Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said during a panel discussion hosted by City & State and moderated by Chalkbeat.
Mulgrew’s comments underscore the challenge ahead for de Blasio’s plan, which calls for eliminating the single test that determines admission at eight of the city’s top high schools and instead admitting the top 7 percent of students at every middle school across the city. At three of those high schools — Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, and Bronx Science — state law mandates the use of a single exam for admission. (The legislative session begins in January.)
https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2018/08/23/michael-mulgrew-shsat-bill-de-blasio-albany/