What's happening
This bill changes admissions to New York City's specialized high schools by introducing multiple academic measures and reserving seats for top public school students.
Why it matters
Expands admissions criteria beyond a single test. Instead of relying solely on a standardized entrance exam, the bill introduces "multiple measures" of student achievement—such as academic course grades and standardized test scores—offering a more holistic view of applicants’ abilities and potentially reducing the advantage of costly test preparation.
Reserves seats for top-performing public school students. A set portion of seats at each specialized high school will be reserved for students ranking in the top 3%–7% of their eighth-grade class (and top quarter citywide), which could increase opportunities for academically strong students from underrepresented or lower-resourced schools.
Reduces reliance on random chance and test-only pathways. Over several years, the admissions system shifts from a competitive test to a combination of class rank, composite academic scores, and, for remaining seats, random selection among students with high GPAs, broadening access and potentially diversifying the student body.
Maintains arts-based admissions for certain schools. Schools like Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts will continue to admit students based on artistic talent as well as academic achievement, preserving specialized pathways for students gifted in the arts.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change Specialized High School Admissions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to new york city education
- Committee discharged and committed to new york city education
- Referred to education
Full text
4 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1415
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
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 Assembly, 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, demonstrating 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;
§ 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:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00037-02-9
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(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, demonstrating 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;
§ 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2590-h-1 to read as follows:
§ 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 twenty--two thousand twenty-one and the two thousand twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two school years pursuant to the discovery program as set forth in section twentyfive hundred ninety-h of this article.
2. For the admissions process conducted during the two thousand nineteen--two thousand twenty school year to determine admissions to the specialized high schools for the two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-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 three percent of their eighth grade class, as calculated 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.
3. For the admissions process conducted during the two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-one school year to determine admissions to the specialized high schools for the two thousand twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two school year, students who meet the criteria set forth in this
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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 calculated 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 twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two school year and subsequent school years to determine admissions to the specialized high schools for the two thousand twenty-two--two thousand twenty-three school year and subsequent school years, 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 to seven percent of their eighth grade class, such percentage to be determined to allow openings to remain for admission 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 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 assigned a composite score based on such weighted measures. Offers of admission to the specialized high schools pursuant to paragraphs (a) of subdivisions two through four of this section shall be determined by arranging the composite scores of all students who are assigned such
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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 available in such school.
7. The number of openings reserved at each specialized high school for students who meet the criteria set forth in paragraphs (a) of subdivisions two through four of this section shall be determined by multiplying: (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 paragraphs (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 determined by a student's demonstrated abilities in music or the arts as well as such student's scholastic achievement.
§ 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.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to admission to the specialized high schools in the city of New York
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to allow special high schools in cities with a population of one million or more to establish standards for admission to designated specialized high schools
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 2590-g of the education law is amended to read:
Read the full memo (686 words)
4. Provided, further, the city board shall establish procedures and standards for the admission to the special high schools of the city district, including the grade point averages of applicants, personal statements of interest submitted by applicants and such other factors as the city board shall determine to be necessary.
2. Subdivision 2 of section 2590-g of the education law is amended to read as follows: Provided further, the city board shall establish proce- dures and standards for the admission to the special high schools of the city district including the grade point averages of applicants, personal statements of interest submitted by the applicants and such other factors as the city board shall determine to be necessary
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law, except that sections two and four of this act shall take effect on the same date as sections 2590-g-end 2509-h of the education law expire and revert pursuant to chapter 354 of the laws of 2009, as amended, when upon such date sections one and three of this act shall be deemed repealed, provided, further, that effective immediately any actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before such date.
Justification
Students seeking admission into one of New York City specialized high schools must take the SHSAT. The results of this exam are the only factor considered for student admission, not grade point average, writ- ten statements or letters of recommendation. It is astounding that these high schools can use such antiquated measures of evaluation. Methods that research proves are not accurate measures of student performance, capability or intellect. The MAT is a snap shot of the student and more accurately measures their test taking ability than their worthiness of admission into NYC elite public high schools. Furthermore, using this test as the sole basis for admission further exacerbates the racial gap persistent in the enrollment of these schools. Combined white and Asian students account for 70 percent of the students admitted to these schools, conversely Black and Hispanic children make up 72 percent of citywide enrollment in the public school system but only account for 11 percent of the student enrollment at these institutions. Research has consistently shown that minorities perform worse on standardized test than their white counterparts.
However, these students are no less capable or intelligent. There has been much research dedicated to the racial gap in standardized testing, it exists. Our elite colleges and universities use other measures in addition to the SAT for admission. It is only logical that New York City stop relying on the test only for admission and formulate a more common sense policy.
Prior legislative history
2013-2014: S.1827/A.4204A - Referred to Education 2011-2012: S.9064/A9064 - Referred to Education 2015-2016: S.1787/A.6379A - Referred to Education 2017-2018: S8503A-Referred to Education
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law, except that sections two and four of this act shall take effect on the same date as sections 2590-g and 2509-h of the education law expire and revert pursuant to chapter 354 of the laws of 2009, as amended, when upon such date sections one and three of this act shall be deemed repealed, provided, further, that effective immediately any actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be
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