Tag: A10427

  • SHSAT and Its Discontents: WNYC Audio Interviews

    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.

    https://www.wnyc.org/story/shsat-and-its-discontents/

  • 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.

    http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=A10427&term=2017&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Committee%26nbspVotes=Y&Floor%26nbspVotes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y

  • 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/

  • 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/