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Data and resources
HCHS is 4.2% Black, 6.7% Latine, and 7% low income
NYC public school population is 25% Black, 40% Latine, and 72.8% low income
What other schools are doing: Models for change
Especially this year, many specialized high schools are changing their admissions systems to address both the special circumstances of the pandemic as well as long standing inequity in their schools. Below are some articles that describe these changes.
Chicago changed their specialized high schools in 2011 and they have been both high achieving and diverse ever since.
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Boston Latin got rid of their test for the pandemic and looked towards other alternatives.
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Thomas Jefferson HS in Virginia has gotten rid of their test and opted for a "holistic" admissions method.
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Maggie Walker Governor’s School in Virginia has also gotten rid of their test.
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Why diversity is important
We think that the best way to understand why diversity is essential for a quality education is through looking at our student testimonials. You can find those here:
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However, there are also scientific studies and books that prove why diversity is important in education!
Read pages 79-84 of “The Benefits of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Elementary and Secondary Education” ​
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Read the book: The Enduring Legacy : Structured Inequality in America's Public Schools
Specifically these sections in part 3:
“The Pedagogic Case for Racial Integration” (96)
“The Cognitive Benefits of a Diverse Learning Environment” (98)
“Affective Benefits of a Diverse Learning environment” (99)
Read the article “Majority African American Schools and Social Injustice: The Influence of De Facto Segregation on Academic Achievement” by Carl Bankston III and Stephen J. Caldas
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Abstract: The research reported here proceeds on the premise that if minority race and its predominance in particular schools constitutes a disadvantage in the educational system, then members of the privileged group will tend to place their children in schools that avoid the supposed liability of minority concentration, and thereby perpetuate inequality. We draw upon the remarks of James Coleman, who posited that intangible resources are concentrated in the schools of the privileged group, and are lacking in the schools with a high concentration of minorities. In this research, we examine whether the racial composition of schools has an influence on individual achievement, controlling for the race of individuals. Our findings are that the degree of minority concentration has a powerful negative influence on achievement test results, that this influence does not appear to be explained by socioeconomic factors or other factors, and that both whites and African Americans are negatively affected by degree of minority concentration.
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There are also many more articles you can read that we've compiled on a document!
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