NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The de Blasio administration's effort to diversify the city's elite high school did not meet targets set by the so-called 'Discovery Program', which had been described as a desegregation tool for elite schools.
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While blacks and Hispanics make up 67 percent of city public school students, they accounted for just 30 percent of Discovery Program offers, the Daily News reports. Instead, the program mostly benefited Asians who already account for the majority of students in the selective schools, the report says.
There are 500 seats earmarked for discovery students, who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and came close to the benchmark for acceptance in the first round of offers.
Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza is an opponent of the test and said something needs to be done.
“We’re using every tool at our disposal to increase diversity at the specialized high schools, but despite the incremental progress we’re making through the Discovery Program, the status quo remains the same,” Carranza said. “We need to eliminate the test now.”
There are eight schools using the test, with the ninth specialized school, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts using a talent audition and academic review. There were 506 black and Hispanic students given first-round offers this year, down from 527 last year.
In addition to backing a plan to eliminate the test, Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza have pushed to expand the Discovery Program. Opponents have sued to block that expansion.