Kids Will Be Screened Before Being Admitted To New Yorks Most Expensive Schools
In one of New York City’s wealthiest districts, four middle schools in Manhattan are reintroducing selective admissions criteria, a move that comes only three years after former Mayor Bill de Blasio eliminated these requirements due to concerns about their contribution to segregation in public education.
Mayor Eric Adams and his Chancellor, David Banks, have initiated the process of allowing school districts to reinstate these requirements. However, they have delegated the authority to local superintendents to decide how best to implement them and which schools should be affected.
This decision has reignited a contentious debate within District 2’s parents board regarding the use of selective admissions and their impact on racial disparities within the school system.
“Some vocal parents within the district are advocating for a return to a screened program,” remarked Gavin Healy, a board member with a child in a city public school. “I believe this desire is rooted in the pursuit of a segregated program, an attempt to isolate their children from others.”
On the other hand, another parent on the panel argued that the decision would benefit students. Craig Slutzkin, who also has a child in public schools, expressed, “We view it as a positive initial step. It’s evident that the Department of Education is responding to parents’ requests for accelerated programs and selective admissions in middle schools.”
This decision was initially reported by the public radio station WNYC.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor de Blasio removed selective admissions, following an extended internal debate within his administration. This debate included a report suggesting that these admissions criteria exacerbated racial segregation within the school system, a report released while he was away running for president.
The District 2 schools involved in this change—MS 104, Baruch Middle School; MS 131, Sun Yat Sen Middle School; MS 167, Wagner Middle School; and MS 297, 75 Morton Middle School—will now consider 4th-grade report cards to determine eligibility for advanced-level coursework in subjects such as history, science, and language arts.
Previously, these schools only used report cards to assess eligibility for accelerated math classes, as reported by a parent representative on the District 2 board.
Superintendent Kelly McGuire announced on October 3rd that, starting with the 6th-grade class entering middle school in fall 2024, parents will have the option to apply for selective academic programs in these four zoned District 2 middle schools. These programs will provide accelerated learning opportunities in all core subjects, including math, English, science, and social studies.
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