Pols To Talk Future Of Elite High Schools At Forest Hills Forum

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Queens politicians on Tuesday will weigh in on the future of New York City's most elite schools and the controversial admissions test that determines who attends them.

Parents will get to ask their local elected officials about the Specialized High School Admissions Test — and the eight city schools that use it to determine admission — Tuesday evening at J.H.S. 190 Russell Sage in Forest Hills.

The forum, organized by the Russell Sage PTA, will include an overview of state and city legislation that could affect the specialized high school landscape. Officials will discuss whether they support or oppose eliminating the admissions test, known as SHSAT, and answer audience questions.

The politicians who plan to attend are: State Senators Joseph Addabbo, Leroy Comrie, John Liu and Toby Ann Stavisky; State Assembly representatives Andrew Hevesi, Daniel Rosenthal and David Weprin; and City Council members Adrienne Adams and I. Daneek Miller.

Debate over the merits of the SHSAT as an admission criterion intensified following news reports that only seven black students got into Stuyvesant High School for the 2020-2021 school year. The three-hour test is the sole basis for admission to eight specialized high schools throughout New York City.

The city is "once again confronted by an unacceptable status quo at our specialized high schools," Chancellor Richard Carranza said in response to the news. "We need to eliminate the single test for specialized high school admissions now."

Mayor Bill de Blasio has pushed the state legislature to scrap the exam in an effort to racially integrate elite schools. Critics say the test favors students who can afford to pay for test-prep courses, but others argue eliminating the test would disproportionately harm Asian-American students.

The SHSAT Forum is on April 16 from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. at Russell Sage Middle School, located at 68-17 Austin Street in Forest Hills, Queens.