This has been a year of new challenges and difficult choices, testing our collective strength and endurance as we have faced the unknown together. We have had to reinvent the building blocks of public education in the nation’s largest school system, from how to “go to class,” to grading policy, attendance, and everything in between.
Today I am writing with an update on another fundamental pillar of your child’s education: the high school application and enrollment process this year, which will open the week of January 18. I want to thank you for your patience as we have worked for months to talk to families and conduct careful analysis to develop a new high school admissions policy that meets this challenging moment. This new policy will better support your child’s learning journey, and that of their fellow 69,000 eighth graders, as we look ahead to Fall 2021.
New York City is home to approximately 250 total high schools that have geographic priorities in place, limiting opportunity for hard-working students to attend some of our most in-demand schools based on where they live. Additionally, there are 126 high schools that “screen” students for admission using academic records, auditions, attendance, special assessments, interviews, or other measures. They’ve historically used a student’s academic records to determine if they’re suitable for entry to the school. The changes we are sharing with you today relate to all of these schools.
