S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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1415
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 14, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to admission to the
specialized high schools in the city of New York
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the
education law, as amended by chapter 345 of the laws of 2009, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) all specialized [senior] high schools. The [special] SPECIALIZED
high schools shall include the [present] schools known as[:]
The Bronx High School of Science, Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn
Technical High School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music [and
the Arts in the borough of Manhattan] & ART AND PERFORMING ARTS, and
such [further] ADDITIONAL schools [which the city board may designate]
AS MAY BE DESIGNATED BY THE CHANCELLOR from time to time. The [special]
SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be permitted to maintain a discovery
program in accordance with the law in effect on the date preceding the
effective date of this section; PROVIDED THAT THE REQUIREMENT THAT A
STUDENT WHO IS CONSIDERED FOR THE DISCOVERY PROGRAM ATTEND AND PASS A
PREPARATORY PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL, DEMON-
STRATING THEREBY HIS OR HER ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY COPE WITH THE
SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, SHALL REFER TO A PROGRAM THAT CAN TAKE
PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR OR THE SUMMER; admissions to the [special]
SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be conducted in accordance with [the law
in effect on the date preceding the effective date of this] section
TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H-L OF THIS ARTICLE;
§ 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the education
law, as amended by chapter 720 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read
as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00037-02-9
S. 1415 2
(b) all specialized [senior] high schools. The [special] SPECIALIZED
high schools shall include the [present] schools known as[:]
The Bronx High School of Science, Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn
Technical High School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music [and
the Arts in the borough of Manhattan] & ART AND PERFORMING ARTS, and
such [further] ADDITIONAL schools [which the city board may designate]
AS MAY BE DESIGNATED BY THE CHANCELLOR from time to time. The [special]
SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be permitted to maintain a discovery
program in accordance with the law in effect on the date preceding the
effective date of this section; PROVIDED THAT THE REQUIREMENT THAT A
STUDENT WHO IS CONSIDERED FOR THE DISCOVERY PROGRAM ATTEND AND PASS A
PREPARATORY PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL, DEMON-
STRATING THEREBY HIS OR HER ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY COPE WITH THE
SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, SHALL REFER TO A PROGRAM THAT CAN TAKE
PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR OR THE SUMMER; admissions to the [special]
SPECIALIZED HIGH schools shall be conducted in accordance with [the law
in effect on the date preceding the effective date of this] section
TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H-1 OF THIS ARTICLE;
§ 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2590-h-1 to
read as follows:
§ 2590-H-1. ADMISSIONS TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS. 1. ADMISSIONS
TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT STUDENTS MAY ALSO BE ADMITTED TO THE
SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY--TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-ONE AND THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO SCHOOL
YEARS PURSUANT TO THE DISCOVERY PROGRAM AS SET FORTH IN SECTION TWENTY-
FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H OF THIS ARTICLE.
2. FOR THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS CONDUCTED DURING THE TWO THOUSAND NINE-
TEEN--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY SCHOOL YEAR TO DETERMINE ADMISSIONS TO THE
SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY--TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-ONE SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS
SUBDIVISION SHALL BE OFFERED ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS
IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:
(A) STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
WHO ARE IN THE TOP THREE PERCENT OF THEIR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS, AS CALCU-
LATED BASED ON MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, AND WHO ACHIEVE A COMPOSITE SCORE
ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE FOR THE SCHOOL SUCH STUDENTS
HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO ATTEND, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF
THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT SUCH STUDENTS SHALL ALSO RANK IN THE TOP
QUARTER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE EIGHTH GRADE CITYWIDE BASED ON
SUCH MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT
OPENINGS SHALL BE RESERVED FOR SUCH STUDENTS AT EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH
SCHOOL AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS SECTION;
(B) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE
AND SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT EXAMINATION IN THE EIGHTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A
SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE
SCHOOL FOR WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION; AND
(C) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE
AND SCHOLASTIC EXAMINATION IN THE NINTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A SCORE ABOVE
OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL FOR
WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION.
3. FOR THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS CONDUCTED DURING THE TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE SCHOOL YEAR TO DETERMINE ADMISSIONS TO THE
SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE--TWO THOUSAND
TWENTY-TWO SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS
S. 1415 3
SUBDIVISION SHALL BE OFFERED ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS
IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:
(A) STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
WHO ARE IN THE TOP FIVE PERCENT OF THEIR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS, AS CALCU-
LATED BASED ON MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, AND WHO ACHIEVE A COMPOSITE SCORE
ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE FOR THE SCHOOL SUCH STUDENTS
HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO ATTEND PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS
SECTION, PROVIDED THAT SUCH STUDENTS SHALL ALSO RANK IN THE TOP QUARTER
OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE EIGHTH GRADE CITYWIDE BASED ON SUCH
MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT
OPENINGS SHALL BE RESERVED FOR SUCH STUDENTS AT EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH
SCHOOL AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS SECTION;
(B) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE
AND SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT EXAMINATION IN THE EIGHTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A
SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE
SCHOOL FOR WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION; AND
(C) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO TAKE A COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE
AND SCHOLASTIC EXAMINATION IN THE NINTH GRADE AND ACHIEVE A SCORE ABOVE
OR AT THE CUT-OFF SCORE FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL FOR
WHICH SUCH STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAMINATION.
4. FOR THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS CONDUCTED DURING THE TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-ONE--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO SCHOOL YEAR AND SUBSEQUENT SCHOOL YEARS
TO DETERMINE ADMISSIONS TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE SCHOOL YEAR AND SUBSE-
QUENT SCHOOL YEARS, STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS
SUBDIVISION SHALL BE OFFERED ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS
IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:
(A) STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
WHO ARE IN THE TOP FIVE TO SEVEN PERCENT OF THEIR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS,
SUCH PERCENTAGE TO BE DETERMINED TO ALLOW OPENINGS TO REMAIN FOR ADMIS-
SION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION AND AS CALCULATED
BASED ON MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, DETERMINED AS SET
FORTH IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, AND WHO ACHIEVE A COMPOSITE
SCORE ABOVE OR AT THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE FOR THE SCHOOL SUCH
STUDENTS HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO ATTEND, DETERMINED AS SET FORTH IN
SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT SUCH STUDENTS SHALL ALSO
RANK IN THE TOP QUARTER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE EIGHTH GRADE
CITYWIDE BASED ON SUCH MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND
PROVIDED FURTHER THAT OPENINGS SHALL BE RESERVED FOR SUCH STUDENTS AT
EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS
SECTION; AND
(B) STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO HAVE A MINIMUM GRADE POINT
AVERAGE OF 3.7, PROVIDED SUCH STUDENTS SHALL BE ADMITTED BY A RANDOM
SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE OPENINGS THAT REMAIN IN EACH SCHOOL.
5. THE CHANCELLOR SHALL DETERMINE THE MULTIPLE MEASURES OF STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT AS REFERENCED IN THIS SECTION, AND THE WEIGHT OF EACH SUCH
MEASURE, PROVIDED THAT SUCH MEASURES SHALL INCLUDE ACADEMIC COURSE
GRADES AND STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES. A DESCRIPTION OF SUCH MEASURES AND
THE WEIGHT ACCORDED TO EACH SHALL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, INCLUDING
ON THE WEBSITE OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. A STUDENT WHO IS EVALUATED
BASED ON SUCH MEASURES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE
ASSIGNED A COMPOSITE SCORE BASED ON SUCH WEIGHTED MEASURES. OFFERS OF
ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPHS (A) OF
SUBDIVISIONS TWO THROUGH FOUR OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE DETERMINED BY
ARRANGING THE COMPOSITE SCORES OF ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE ASSIGNED SUCH
S. 1415 4
SCORES AND WHO THEN COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ATTEND A PARTICULAR SPECIALIZED
HIGH SCHOOL IN DESCENDING ORDER FROM THE HIGHEST SCORE AND COUNTING DOWN
TO THE CUT-OFF COMPOSITE SCORE, WHICH SHALL BE THE COMPOSITE SCORE OF
THE LAST STUDENT WHO RECEIVES AN OFFER OF ADMISSION TO SUCH SCHOOL BASED
ON THE NUMBER OF OPENINGS AVAILABLE IN SUCH SCHOOL PURSUANT TO SUCH
PARAGRAPH.
6. OFFERS OF ADMISSION TO THE SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS PURSUANT TO
PARAGRAPHS (B) AND (C) OF SUBDIVISIONS TWO AND THREE OF THIS SECTION
SHALL BE DETERMINED BY ARRANGING THE SCORES OF ALL THE CANDIDATES WHO
TOOK THE COMPETITIVE, OBJECTIVE AND SCHOLASTIC EXAMINATION AND WHO THEN
COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ATTEND A PARTICULAR SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL IN
DESCENDING ORDER FROM THE HIGHEST SCORE AND COUNTING DOWN TO THE CUT-OFF
SCORE, WHICH SHALL BE THE SCORE OF THE LAST CANDIDATE WHO RECEIVES AN
OFFER OF ADMISSION TO SUCH SCHOOL BASED ON THE NUMBER OF OPENINGS AVAIL-
ABLE IN SUCH SCHOOL.
7. THE NUMBER OF OPENINGS RESERVED AT EACH SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOL FOR
STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPHS (A) OF SUBDIVI-
SIONS TWO THROUGH FOUR OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE DETERMINED BY MULTIPLY-
ING: (A) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NINTH GRADE AVAILABLE OPENINGS AT SUCH
SCHOOL; BY (B) THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN
PARAGRAPHS (A) OF SUBDIVISIONS TWO THROUGH FOUR OF THIS SECTION DIVIDED
BY THE AGGREGATE NUMBER OF NINTH GRADE AVAILABLE OPENINGS IN ALL THE
SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS.
8. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION TO THE CONTRARY, ADMISSION TO THE
FIORELLO H. LAGUARDIA HIGH SCHOOL OF MUSIC & ART AND PERFORMING ARTS,
AND OTHER SCHOOLS OF THE ARTS THAT MAY BE ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
SECTION TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-H OF THIS ARTICLE, SHALL BE DETER-
MINED BY A STUDENT'S DEMONSTRATED ABILITIES IN MUSIC OR THE ARTS AS WELL
AS SUCH STUDENT'S SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
the amendments to paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of
the education law made by section one of this act shall be subject to
the expiration and reversion of such section pursuant to subdivision 12
of section 17 of chapter 345 of the laws of 2009, as amended when upon
such date the provisions of section two of this act shall take effect.