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Specialized High Schools Admissions Test

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Specialized High Schools Admissions Test
AcronymSHSAT
TypePaper-based standardized admissions test
AdministratorNew York City Department of Education (Administrator), Pearson Assessments (Developer/Grader)
Skills testedELA, Mathematics
PurposeAdmission into Specialized high schools in New York City.
Duration3 hours
OfferedOnce a year
Restrictions on attemptsOne time each in grade 8 and 9
RegionsNew York City, United States
LanguagesEnglish
Annual number of test takersabout 25,000
Used bySpecialized high schools in New York City
Qualification rate21%
Websitewww.schools.nyc.gov/learning/testing/specialized-high-school-admissions-test

The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) is an examination administered to eighth and ninth-grade students residing in New York City and used to determine admission to eight of the city's nine Specialized High Schools. An average of 25,000 students take the test to apply to these schools, and around 5,000 are accepted.[1] The test is given each year in October and November, and students are informed of their results the following March. Those who receive offers decide by the middle of March whether to attend the school the following September. The test is independently produced and graded by American Guidance Service, a subsidiary of Pearson Education, under contract to the New York City Department of Education.[2]

Applicability

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The SHSAT is used for admission to the following schools:[3]

Admission to the remaining specialized high school, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, is determined by audition or portfolio rather than by exam.[4]

The Hecht-Calandra Act

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The Hecht-Calandra Act of 1971 codified the SHSAT into state law as the sole consideration for admissions at 3 of the specialized schools, Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, and Bronx Science.[5]

The debate of whether or not the SHSAT and specialized schools are discriminatory dates back to the passing of this act. In the 1970s, the chancellor of the New York City public school system Harvey B. Scribner launched a study to investigate allegations that the specialized schools were “culturally biased” against Latino and Black students. In response to the study legislators came together to draft the Hecht-Calandra Act. The minority legislators who were against the bill “accused white colleagues of seeking an exclusionary racial quota at the schools”.[6]

In 2018, then Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio proposed changes to the admission process of the Specialized High School. One of the proposed changes was repealing the Hecht-Calandra Act and replacing the SHSAT with a more holistic approach that takes more aspects of a student's education into consideration.[7] However, the change did not happen. Due to the act, the city is not allowed to remove the SHSAT and would require a state law to change it.

There is a legal question on whether the city has the power to reclassify the 5 other specialized schools that are not explicitly mentioned in the 1971 bill in order to change the admission process.[8]

New York State Senate Bill S3087, sponsored in 2021 by State Senator Julia Salazar, seeks to repeal the Hecht-Calandra Act.[9] The bill, as well as previous iterations of it, point to the fact that no other school district in the state of New York is subject to state laws.[10] Furthermore, the bill claims that the 1971 act "help to maintain or increase the racially disparate enrollment in these schools, particularly in regard to Black and Latinx students" and that its purpose was to "further school segregation in NYC".[9] The bill would allow the city to create its own admission process for the specialized schools.

Testing locations

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The test is given in late October (8th grade) or early November (9th grade and 8th grade with IEPs, 504 plans, and ELL). The test is administered at testing centers located in Manhattan at Stuyvesant High School, in the Bronx at Bronx High School of Science, in Brooklyn at Brooklyn Technical High School, Sunset Park High School,[11] or James Madison High School, in Queens at Long Island City High School, Hillcrest High School, or John Adams High School, in Staten Island at Staten Island Technical High School.

Admission

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Students must choose which schools they wish to apply to (up to 8) and indicate them in order of preference on an application portal before the day of the exam. The test is offered to all eighth and ninth-grade students residing within New York City,[12] but the majority of the applicants are eighth graders.[13]

The results of the SHSAT are ordered from the highest score to the lowest score. The list is processed in order by score, with each student being placed in their most preferred school that still has open seats and continuing until there are no remaining open seats at any school. The grading of the test is not proportional to the raw score and is formalized by the New York City Department of Education.[14]

Examination format

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The SHSAT tests for grammar and ability in both English and mathematics. The examination is 180 minutes long. It is recommended that 90 minutes be divided for each section, but the time can be divided in any way students wish: however, if a student qualifies for an IEP, the time may be increased. In addition, a student who may have certain medical conditions can also get an increased amount of time. All students who qualify for a time extension get an additional 180 minutes to their examination time or doubled time.[1] There is no break between the sections. Electronic calculators and other calculation aids may not be used during the test.

ELA

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57 multiple-choice questions:

  • 9-11 revising/editing
  • 5-6 nonfiction (2-3) and fiction (2-3) passages with a total of 46-48 questions
  • All questions are multiple-choice questions

Mathematics

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52 multiple-choice questions and 5 grid-in questions:

  • Various mathematical topics tested
Basic math
Algebra
Factoring
Substitution
Geometry
Basic Coordinate Graphing
Logic
Word Problems
3D Geometry

Grading

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There is no penalty for wrong answers.[15] The total number of correct answers (the raw score) is converted into a scaled score through a formula that the Department of Education does not release, and which varies from year to year. The scaled score is an integer between 20 and around 350. The scaled score is then used to determine the composite score, which varies from year to year, an integer between 40 and around 700. [16] It is used to determine a student's standing. The scaled score is not proportional to the raw scores.[17]

Typically, scoring around the 99th percentile (45-47/47) on one part of the exam and the 60th percentile (25-27/47) on the other part will gain admission into a specialized high school, while the 82nd percentile (32/47) on both will not be enough for admissions into a specialized high school. As a student is closer to getting every question (45 to 46 to 47/47) (or very wrong), the scaled score increases by 10-20 points, while in the middle range scores (18-36/47), scaled scores only increase by 2-3 points. The maximum scaled score for each section (ELA and Math) is around 350 (usually lower for 9th graders). An example of a scoring sheet (97+ percentile and 50+ percentile) is shown below: 47/47: 350; 46/47: 330; 45/47: 310; 44/47: 300; 43/47: 290 --- 33/47: 220; 32/47: 218; 31/47: 215; 30/47: 213; 29/47: 210; 28/47: 208; 27/47: 206; 26/47: 203.

The cut-off scores for each school vary yearly, determined simply by the number of open places in each school and how the candidates score. Students are notified of their scores in March. The Department of Education usually does not publish score results; the numbers below are self-reported by interested parents on public forums.[18] However, the DOE released the cut-off scores for each Specialized High School for the 2022 results (for which the tests themselves were taken in 2021).[19]

In 2020, the cutoff scores were the following: Stuyvesant High School: 566; Queens High School For The Sciences At York College: 535; The Bronx High School of Science: 532; Staten Island Technical High School: 551; HSMSE @ CCNY: 523; HSAS @ Lehman: 520; Brooklyn Technical High School: 507; and The Brooklyn Latin School: 498.

In 2021, the cutoff scores were the following: Stuyvesant High School: 560; Queens High School For The Sciences At York College: 482; The Bronx High School of Science: 517; Staten Island Technical High School: 525; HSMSE @ CCNY: 515; HSAS @ Lehman: 488; Brooklyn Technical High School: 492; and The Brooklyn Latin School: 481.[20] The lower cutoff scores can be attributed to the reduced number of test-takers.

In 2022, the cutoff scores were the following: Stuyvesant High School: 563; Queens High School For The Sciences At York College: 523; The Bronx High School of Science: 524; Staten Island Technical High School: 527; HSMSE @ CCNY: 532; HSAS @ Lehman: 516; Brooklyn Technical High School: 506; and The Brooklyn Latin School: 497.[21]

The 9th-grade SHSAT cut-off scores tend to be much higher due to limited seats for incoming 10th-graders in the schools. Some schools, such as Stuyvesant and Bronx Science, may only have 3-10 seats each year for incoming 10th graders, while Brooklyn Technical High School, being the school with the most students, may only have around 20-30 seats. Depending on the year, the number of seats is available in the NYC High School Directory Book given to all students applying for admission to a high school. Each year, an average of 50-60 ninth-grade students get into the Specialized Schools, out of an estimated 3,000 students.

Past 9th Grade SHSAT Cut-off scores:

In 2021, the cutoff scores were the following: Stuyvesant High School: 560; Queens High School For The Sciences At York College: 475; The Bronx High School of Science: 510; Staten Island Technical High School: 520; HSMSE @ CCNY: 481; HSAS @ Lehman: 482; Brooklyn Technical High School: 495; and The Brooklyn Latin School: 466.

In 2022, the cutoff scores were the following: Stuyvesant High School: 563; Queens High School For The Sciences At York College: 541; The Bronx High School of Science: 551; Staten Island Technical High School: 525; HSMSE @ CCNY: 549; HSAS @ Lehman: 541; Brooklyn Technical High School; 546; and The Brooklyn Latin School: 545.

Department of Education programs

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The New York Specialized High School Institute (SHSI) is a free program run by the City of New York for middle school students with high test scores on citywide tests and high report card grades. The program's original intent was to expand the population of Black and Hispanic students by offering them test-taking tips and extra lessons. However, anyone can apply. As of 2006, 3,781 students are enrolled at 17 locations. They spend 16 months, starting in the summer after sixth grade, preparing for the test.[22]

Certain applicants who have scored just below the cut-off score and are recommended by their guidance counselor may qualify for the Summer Discovery Program. Successful completion of this program allows the students to gain admission to a specialized high school. The students must:[4]

1. have scored within a range below the cut-off score on the SHSAT; and
2. be certified as disadvantaged by their middle school according to any one of the following criteria:
a. attend a Title 1 school and be from a family whose total income is documented as meeting federal income eligibility guidelines established for school food services by the NYS Department of Agriculture; or
b. be receiving assistance from the Human Resources Administration; or
c. be a member of a family whose income is documented as being equivalent to or below Department of Social Services standards; or
d. be a foster child or ward of the state; or
e. initially, have entered the United States within the last four years and live in a home in which the language customarily spoken is not English; and be recommended by their local school as having a high potential for the specialized high school program.

Fairness

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In November 2005, a New York Times article found that students scoring in the 90th percentile on both sections would not gain admittance to their first-choice schools; meanwhile, those scoring in the 99th percentile on one section and the 50th percentile on the other would.[23] This happens because the final grade and percentile represent the total score and the curve within sections.

Admission is based solely on how the student does on the SHSAT. The New York City Department of Education created the New York Specialized High School Institute (SHSI), a free program run by the department for middle school students with high test scores on citywide tests and solid report card grades. The program's original intent was to expand the population of African American and Hispanic students in the science high schools by offering them test-taking tips and extra lessons; however, students of any racial or ethnic background can apply for admission to the institute. However, like the schools, these test-prep programs have seen attrition among black and Hispanic students.[24]

In October 2013, it was reported that the number of African American and Latino students being admitted into SHSAT schools over the past five years had declined. In response, the Community Service Society and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund filed a complaint in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR), asserting that New York state law (the Hecht-Calandra Act of 1971) requires only three schools (Bronx High School of Science, Brooklyn Tech, and Stuyvesant) to use the SHSAT for admissions and that the five other schools that use the SHSAT for admission are not required to do so, and that their doing so violates the civil rights of Black and Latino students.[25][26] The position of the New York Department of Education is that applicants for all eight specialized high schools are legally required to take the SHSAT."[25][26] The OCR opened an investigation which is still pending as of 2019.[27]

In addition, many disagree with mayor Bill de Blasio's moves to increase the African American and Latino enrollment in the Specialized High Schools. As of 2015, there has been widespread dissent among Asian Americans, who account for 2/3 of the population attending the top 3 specialized high schools. The de Blasio administration began to look at alternatives to the SHSAT score as the sole means of admissions. Factors such as attendance, GPA, ethnicity, personal recommendation, and geographical locations are considered. A coalition of alumni associations, alumni, and parents of the SHS's was formed to combat these changes.[28]

References

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  1. ^ Corcoran, Sean Patrick; Baker-Smith, E. Christine (March 2018). "Pathways to an Elite Education: Application, Admission, and Matriculation to New York City's Specialized High Schools". Education Finance and Policy. 13 (2): 256–279. doi:10.1162/edfp_a_00220. ISSN 1557-3060. S2CID 57567636.
  2. ^ Feinman, Joshua. "High Stakes, but Low Validity? A Case Study of Standardized Tests and Admissions into New York City Specialized High Schools" (PDF). EDUCATION POLICY RESEARCH UNIT. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  3. ^ "Test Information: Specialized High Schools Admissions". NYC Department of Education. 2010. Archived from the original on April 6, 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "NYC DoE Specialized High Schools Student Handbook" (PDF). NYC Department of Education. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  5. ^ Harris, Elizabeth A. (June 2, 2018). "De Blasio Proposes Changes to New York's Elite High Schools". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Times, Francis X. Clines Special to The New York (May 20, 1971). "ASSEMBLY VOTES HIGH SCHOOL CURB". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  7. ^ Shapiro, Eliza (March 26, 2019). "Segregation Has Been the Story of New York City's Schools for 50 Years". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  8. ^ Harris, Elizabeth A. (June 2, 2018). "De Blasio Proposes Changes to New York's Elite High Schools". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "NY State Senate Bill S3087". NY State Senate. January 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  10. ^ "NY State Senate Bill S8847". NY State Senate. July 29, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  11. ^ "Specialized High Schools Student Handbook". schools.nyc.gov. NYCDOE.
  12. ^ Krane, Stephen (2001). New York City Specialized Science High Schools Admission Test. ARCO. p. 5. ISBN 0-7689-0711-X.
  13. ^ "2020 SHSAT Cutoff Scores". AdmissionSquad. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  14. ^ "How the High School Admissions Process Works". NYC Department of Education. 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  15. ^ "SHSAT Test Tips and Strategies". Peterson's. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ "NYC Guide to the Specialized High Schools Admission Test for 2021 Admissions". NYC Schools.
  17. ^ Zimmermanwd, L.; Wheaton, Pamela (February 13, 2007). Specialized HS results out; more schools, fewer applicants. Inside Schools. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  18. ^ "Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) - Yearly Testing - New York City Department of Education". schools.nyc.gov. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  19. ^ "Specialized High Schools". May 20, 2022. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  20. ^ "Specialized High School SHSAT Cutoff Scores for 2021". www.theschoolboards.com. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  21. ^ "Specialized High Schools". archive.ph. June 9, 2022. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  22. ^ Gootman, Elissa (August 18, 2006). "In Elite N.Y. Schools, a Dip in Blacks and Hispanics". The New York Times. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  23. ^ Herszenhorn, D. M. (November 12, 2005). "Admission Test's Scoring Quirk Throws Balance Into Question". The New York Times. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  24. ^ Shapiro, Eliza; Lai, K. K. Rebecca (June 3, 2019). "How New York's Elite Public Schools Lost Their Black and Hispanic Students". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  25. ^ a b Rachel Monahan. "Drop in black, Latino numbers in elite NYC schools could be reversed". New York Daily News. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  26. ^ a b Philissa Cramer, Complaint targets elite HS admissions process, not just outcome, Chalkbeat (September 27, 2012).
  27. ^ Christina Veiga, Four takeaways from New York City’s response to discrimination charges in specialized high schools lawsuit, Chalkbeat (January 18, 2019).
  28. ^ "CoalitionEDU.org: Coalition Supporting NYC Specialized High Schools". Archived from the original on September 21, 2014.
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