CoalitionEdu
Coalition Supporting Specialized High Schools
www.CoalitionEdu.org
PRESS RELEASE 10/01/2014
Contact: David Lee Spokesperson, CoalitionEdu
646 249-6915
info@coalitionedu.org
Coalition Supporting Specialized High Schools
www.CoalitionEdu.org
PRESS RELEASE 10/01/2014
Contact: David Lee Spokesperson, CoalitionEdu
646 249-6915
info@coalitionedu.org
Bid Protest Filed Against New Specialized High School Admission Test
Changes Violate State Law, Reduces Objectivity, Devalues Diploma
CoalitionEdu and several alumni, parents and prospective parents of New York City’s specialized high schools filed a protest yesterday with the New York City Department of Education (“DOE”), claiming that changes to the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (“SHSAT”) contemplated by the DOE’s Request for Proposals # R1061 (the “RFP”) would violate New York State law, would undermine the admissions process and the reputations of the specialized high schools, and would not advance the Administration’s stated goal of diversifying the specialized high schools.
Attorney Claude Millman of Kostelanetz & Fink is representing the protestors, who requested that the DOE refrain from using a constructed response or essay on the SHSAT, and refrain from administering translated versions of the SHSAT, because these actions would violate New York State law, which requires that specialized high school admissions must be by taking a competitive, objective and scholastic achievement examination.
Over 70% of NYC middle schoolers failed the statewide ELA and Math tests. The obvious solution is for the Department of Education to improve education in middle school and earlier, but instead they propose to waste a huge amount of taxpayer money changing the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test by, among other things, adding an essay. This obfuscation serves to further neglect the abject educational poverty of our city’s youth, introduces subjectivity and the potential for bias in the admissions process, and at a time when STEM education is more critical than ever, an essay in the SHSAT undermines the current and historical mission of many of the specialized high schools, namely to attract and develop talent in science. Specialized high school admissions standards must remain objective, transparent, incorruptible and consistently applied to all applicants. Keeping the high standards of the specialized high schools is vital to attracting families to New York City and enabling them to stay here.
Attachment: Protest of RFP # R1061 – Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT)
About CoalitionEdu
CoalitionEdu is an advocacy group that supports preserving the finest traditions of the specialized high schools of NYC. We support keeping the Specialized High School Achievement Test as the admission standard to these schools. We represent alumni, parents, students and community leaders that have come together to support this cause. We gathered over 6,000 signatures in a petition supporting our cause in under 2 weeks to oppose the bill to change the admissions policy. Other efforts include forums and public awareness.
Out website is www.CoalitionEdu.org
Changes Violate State Law, Reduces Objectivity, Devalues Diploma
CoalitionEdu and several alumni, parents and prospective parents of New York City’s specialized high schools filed a protest yesterday with the New York City Department of Education (“DOE”), claiming that changes to the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (“SHSAT”) contemplated by the DOE’s Request for Proposals # R1061 (the “RFP”) would violate New York State law, would undermine the admissions process and the reputations of the specialized high schools, and would not advance the Administration’s stated goal of diversifying the specialized high schools.
Attorney Claude Millman of Kostelanetz & Fink is representing the protestors, who requested that the DOE refrain from using a constructed response or essay on the SHSAT, and refrain from administering translated versions of the SHSAT, because these actions would violate New York State law, which requires that specialized high school admissions must be by taking a competitive, objective and scholastic achievement examination.
Over 70% of NYC middle schoolers failed the statewide ELA and Math tests. The obvious solution is for the Department of Education to improve education in middle school and earlier, but instead they propose to waste a huge amount of taxpayer money changing the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test by, among other things, adding an essay. This obfuscation serves to further neglect the abject educational poverty of our city’s youth, introduces subjectivity and the potential for bias in the admissions process, and at a time when STEM education is more critical than ever, an essay in the SHSAT undermines the current and historical mission of many of the specialized high schools, namely to attract and develop talent in science. Specialized high school admissions standards must remain objective, transparent, incorruptible and consistently applied to all applicants. Keeping the high standards of the specialized high schools is vital to attracting families to New York City and enabling them to stay here.
Attachment: Protest of RFP # R1061 – Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT)
About CoalitionEdu
CoalitionEdu is an advocacy group that supports preserving the finest traditions of the specialized high schools of NYC. We support keeping the Specialized High School Achievement Test as the admission standard to these schools. We represent alumni, parents, students and community leaders that have come together to support this cause. We gathered over 6,000 signatures in a petition supporting our cause in under 2 weeks to oppose the bill to change the admissions policy. Other efforts include forums and public awareness.
Out website is www.CoalitionEdu.org
| protest_of_rfp__r1061_shsat_00285052.pdf |
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