The Next Steps in High School Admissions

The Next Steps Report Cover

Fordham Law School’s Feerick Center for Social Justice has released a report, The Next Step: Prioritizing Equity and Recovery in NYC High School Admissions, urging NYC to implement reforms to middle and high school admissions that focus on improving equity and access to opportunities for all students. According to the UCLA Civil Rights Project, New York's school system is the most segregated in the country. Recognizing that we are still in the midst of a pandemic that continues to burden NYC students and their families, the authors stress the importance of trying to work toward closing the gaps intensified by the pandemic.

The report calls for three substantial reforms: 

1. A permanent end to middle school screens. 

2. A requirement that high schools “opt-in” to screening along with mandatory equitable admissions priorities. 

3. Significantly enhanced supports for students and families—with dedicated funding—for the admissions process. 

The NYC Department of Education (NYCDOE) has yet to announce high school admissions policies for the 2022-2023 school year. The report calls on the Mayor and NYCDOE to dedicate time and resources to overhaul the City’s high school admissions system by 2022-2023.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *