New York Middle School Admissions: Lottery or No Lottery?

Middle school applications will be opening soon for next year’s enrollment, and there are still a lot of questions up in the air. For example, what criteria will be used for admission? A recent New York Times article by Troy Closson, shines a light on this debate and explains what both sides are hoping for with this year’s admissions.

Background
During the pandemic, New York City middle schools dropped their merit-based admissions standards and instead instated a lottery system. The merit-based admissions looked at factors such as grades, attendance, and test scores to determine which students would be admitted to which schools. This fall, chancellor David C. Banks weighed in with the opinion that students who work hard should take priority over “the child you have to throw water on their face to get them to go to school every day.” Though he ultimately left the decision on whether to return to merit-based admissions or to keep the lottery system up to the individual superintendents.  

The Debate
The move to the lottery system, though necessary at the time, was seen as somewhat controversial. Critics, including some parents, have argued that, “random lotteries have prevented children from challenging themselves in schools with like-minded students, and have unfairly limited their opportunities.” These individuals are hoping for a return to the ways of old, when grades and test scores determined placement.

However, proponents of the lottery system have pointed to the benefits of the system. New York City has one of the most segregated school systems in the country. The merit-based system tends to traditionally favor white students from upper-class backgrounds. The lottery system doesn’t take these factors into consideration. Instead, the lottery system tends to level the playing field a bit more for students of color and from low-income households. 

And as far as lottery students holding back the more advanced students, “a large body of research has shown that mixed classrooms can raise achievement, particularly for low-performing students, in District 15 (a district in Northwest Brooklyn), the gaps in standardized test scores in math and reading have persisted between white and Asian students and their Black and Latino peers.” 

Where we are now
So it seems as though there are arguments to be made on both sides of the debate. While no decision has been made yet, it is expected to be finalized before the application window opens in early November. We will keep you updated with all the information once it has been made available.