Press Office
Contact: Matthew Sweeney, (212) 669-3747 September 27, 2012
NEW YORK, N.Y. — City Comptroller John C. Liu, a graduate of The Bronx High School of Science, stated the following on the NAACP Legal Defense Fund’s filing of a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education on NYC’s Specialized High School Exam:
“The woeful lack of diversity at our Specialized High Schools is troubling and something we have been watching closely. The admissions process — a single, grueling test — is flawed and must be changed. Admissions criteria must be broadened, the test must be analyzed for predictive bias, and the City must do more recruiting for those schools in communities of color.
“Sadly, the lack of students of color at the Specialized High Schools is only one piece of a larger puzzle. As we mention in our study just released today, we estimate that four out of every five New York City public high-school students, or 79%, do not earn two- or four-year college degrees within 12 years of beginning the 9th grade, which has significant consequences for their lifetime earnings and the City’s economic future.
“Education is the key to spreading prosperity, and we have a shared responsibility to make sure our top high schools are fair and inclusive.”
Background:
Comptroller Liu’s op-ed on broadening admission to NYC’s specialized high schools: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-c-liu/nyc-specialized-high-schools_b_1391712.html
Press Release: http://comptroller.nyc.gov/press/2012_releases/pr12-09-105.shtm
Report: http://comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/opm/reports/2012/Higher-Education-Report-FINAL.pdf
Report summary: http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/opm/reports/2012/Higher-Ed-Summary-FINAL.pdf
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