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Middle School Admissions Process Still Unclear Despite DOE Efforts: Parents

By Shaye Weaver | November 12, 2016 9:51am | Updated on November 14, 2016 7:39am
 The Community Education Council for District 2 thinks the DOE could be doing more to make the application process clearer for families.
The Community Education Council for District 2 thinks the DOE could be doing more to make the application process clearer for families.
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UPPER EAST SIDE — The city says it's on a mission to make the middle school application process clearer, but education leaders in District 2 believe that's not the case.

District 2's Community Education Council released 12 out of the 15 middle schools rubrics in the district on Tuesday in an effort to give parents more information about how students are assessed during the rigorous screening process.

Up until now, families have not been privy to middle school rubrics in District 2.

When analyzing the documents, CEC2 members say they found a general disregard to detail and a process that is more about schools choosing kids and not about kids choosing schools.

At least four of the 12 schools require students to put them as their first choice to even be considered, for example.

In response to the council's criticisms, the Department of Education said it sends annual admissions guidance to all middle schools, publishes criteria in its District 2 Middle School Directory — like grades, test scores, and attendance — and "encourages" middle schools to make their rubrics available to the public.

“We are committed to making admissions processes clearer and easier for families — and in addition to the information in the District 2 middle school directory, we continue to work with schools to provide clearer and more accessible information to the District 2 community," said Will Mantell, a spokesman for the DOE.

But members of the council say that, if DOE officials were really committed to making it clearer, they would make sure schools share rubrics and consider changing the process to be more equitable to students.

"What the DOE has been sharing isn't very helpful," said Eric Goldberg, a member of CEC2. "It's great they've moved forward with publishing the directory, but it doesn't tell you how the schools use grades, for example. Is it a primary or secondary factor to getting selected? It's that level of detail that families need."

So far there hasn't been a consistent way for parents to look across the board and see how students are assessed, he said.

The DOE also hasn't pushed schools to release the profile of admitted students, either. Goldberg said that would give families a better understanding of where their student stands relative of the school. 

"They still haven't shared that second piece," he said. "This is really a high-stakes application process, where the school you put first precludes you from putting several schools first. You should have a better degree of knowledge. We need to know more."

Not releasing this information has taken a toll on families across the district, according to parents like Marsha Miller. Two years ago Miller's son listed Manhattan Academy of Technology as his second choice, and school officials assured Miller they did not require applicants to list it as their first choice.

But her son didn't get in. He was only accepted by his third-choice school, Baruch AP — until they appealed to the DOE and ended up getting into his first choice, the Lower Manhattan Community School, Miller said.

"Quite a few schools are very cagey about giving those out because they want to improve their popularity," she said.

CEC2 says it hopes to have an open discussion with parents and educators about how to make the process fairer soon.

To see the middle school rubrics, visit CEC2's website.

More Reading:

 Mysterious Middle School Selection Process Forced Out by Open Records Law​

► Reveal Secret Middle School Admissions Criteria, Parents Urge DOE

► Middle Schools Could Stop Weeding Out Kids Who Don't Rank Them First