Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Statement on U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights Complaint Regarding NYC Specialized High Schools

Sep 15, 2026

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) responds to a U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights complaint concerning admissions for New York City’s Specialized High Schools. The statement challenges reliance on the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) alone, noting the Department of Education has not studied the test’s alignment with needed curriculum skills. It argues that using multiple achievement measures better predicts success and supports equity by reducing disadvantages for low-income students lacking test preparation access.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Statement Overview

Concerns With Using the SHSAT Alone

Need for Multiple Measures of Achievement

Equity and Access for Low-Income Students

ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND 99 HUDSON STREET, 12th FL, NEW YORK, NY 10013-2815 212.966.5932 FAX 212.966.4303 Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) Statement On U.S . Department Of Education Office Of Civil Rights Complaint of the NYC Coalition for Educational Justice, et al. Regarding New York City Specialized High Schools The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) shares complainants’concerns about the educational soundness of conducting admissions for New York City’s Specialized High Schools solely on the basis of the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) . There are several problems with this approach. First, the New York City Department of Education has not conducted a study to ensure that the SHSHAT actually tests skills necessary for mastering the curriculum and learning standards at the Specialized High Schools. Using a test that has no confirmed predictive validity undermines confidence in the admissions policy. In addition, educational experts agree that no single test should be used to make crucial education decisions. Instead, using multiple measures of achievement (including grades, tests related to actual middle school content, and other academic criteria) would be more accurate predictors of success at the Specialized High Schools. Compared to the current, single high stakes test approach, multiple measures are likely to favor accomplished, high achieving students (including some Asian Americans) who work hard and have strong track records of academic success. The multiple measures approach also helps capture students who may miss out because they happen not to perform well on a particular test, despite being academically qualified. Furthermore, even if the NYC DOE were to properly validate the SHSAT, insofar as low-income students are less likely to have access to formal test preparation courses, transitioning to admissions based on multiple measures of achievement would advance both equity and diversity at our Specialized High Schools. As such, AALDEF supports the use of multiple measures correlating with future academic success for admissions to New York City’s Specialized High Schools.

FAQs

Why does AALDEF oppose using the SHSAT as the sole basis for Specialized High Schools admissions?

AALDEF argues the SHSAT’s skills and curriculum alignment have not been validated through a study, and using a single unproven test undermines confidence in admissions policy.

What does AALDEF recommend instead of relying only on the SHSAT?

AALDEF supports admissions decisions based on multiple measures of achievement, including grades and assessments tied to actual middle school content and other academic criteria.

How would changing to multiple measures affect equity and diversity?

AALDEF states that because low-income students are less likely to access test preparation courses, multiple measures would better advance equity and diversity while capturing academically qualified students who struggle on a single test.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Maya Linwood