NYC admission lottery system sees Asian students less likely to land in their desired high schools than their counterparts: report

August 1, 2022

In a new lottery-style admission system, Asian students are 20 percent less likely to be admitted into one of their top five New York City high school choices as compared to their Black and Latinx student counterparts.

According to the New York City school admission results released by the Department of Education, among the 12,082 Asian students applying for first-year seats in public city high schools for the Fall of 2022, only 8,484 secured a selection from one of their top five choices.

Seventy percent of Asian applicants received placement in one of their top five choices as compared to 90% of Black applicants and 89% of Latinx ones — two demographics that when combined made up 45,069 of the 71,349 total applicants — got one of their top picks.

Those who identify as “multi-racial” came in dead last at 68%. White students came in third with 76% of the city’s 9,767 applicants landing one of their top five choices.

The citywide average was 83%, putting Asian, White and multi-racial students well below the average.

If the summary results are narrowed down to top three choices, 58% of Asian students received admittance from one of their top three high school choices while 82% of Black and 80% of Latinx students received the same.

“As you can see, the ones who lost out the most are the Asian students,” stated Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum & Education co-founder Yiatun Chu, who also heads the Asian Wave Alliance club. “I’ve been dealing with many families who are very unhappy.”

The new system was allegedly based on a mathematical formula that privileges equity and puts school performance in a more secondary position. For example, students with report cards demonstrating high 90s throughout their grades can be put in the highest lottery group alongside students who had average grades in the 80s.

On the NYC Department of Education site, it is stated that students’ grades were a factor in the screening process; however, state test scores and attendance were not considered in admissions this year.

The issue of equity has many lawmakers and community leaders divided, with Asian American families vocalizing their frustrations at a system they allege heavily disadvantages them in the application process.

In May, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and over 80 GOP legislators called on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to end discrimination against Asian American college applicants.

At the end of last year, incoming New York City Chancellor David Banks vowed to support the Asian American community regarding previous proposals to alter admission policies in specialized schools where Asian American students predominate.

Featured Image via CGTN America

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