When then Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein all but eliminated the large neighborhood comprehensive high schools by opening up to all students the ability to select any citywide school to apply to while closing low performing schools. This misguided program resulted in the closing of most of the large comprehensive high schools throughout the City. The result was increased academic and racial segregation that made the New York City public school system one of the most segregated school districts in the nation.
Now Mayor Bill de Blaiio and his Chancellor, Richard Carranza. have vowed to integrate the schools and that is a worthy goal, except they are going about it the wrong way when it comes to the high schools.
Presently, both the Mayor and Chancellor have failed to change the high school admission procedure that have resulted in the segregated high schools. Until the DOE eliminates the citywide high school admission requirements and brings back the large comprehensive neighborhood high schools academic and racial segregation will continue. An example of this are the academically struggling Renewal High Schools, which are almost 100% minority, compared to 70% for all citywide students
In Chicago, a study done by a pro-charter organization called "kids first" showed that in the poorest schools in that city, the schools in high poverty, mainly Black student body, have one empty seat for each two students entering their schools. The reason is like New York City, students can apply to any school in the city. Therefore, these schools become more segregated academically and racially. You can read the Chalkbeat article Here.
Please read my post on how some New York City High Schools cannot attract students, especially the Renewal High Schools.
