De Blasio seeks to eliminate high-stakes test for NYC’s elite specialized high schools
Will benefit blacks and Hispanics; some Asians call move unfair
After years of claims of racial discrimination, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday announced plans to change the admissions process at the city’s elite specialized high schools by getting rid of the grueling, high-stakes admission exam known as the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT).
Using one, high-stakes test as the sole criterion for admissions has been called unfair and discriminatory, especially to minority kids with access to fewer educational resources.
Traditionally, the majority of eighth-graders admitted to the city’s specialized high schools are Asians (52 percent), followed by white students (27 percent). Latinos make up roughly 6 percent, and blacks roughly 4 percent.