“And a small piece of it that occupies an outsized amount of attention — the Specialized High School Admissions Test, or SHSAT, which is needed to get into eight of the city’s most prestigious schools — is often considered a political third rail.
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Many of the mayoral candidates seem to agree with that approach, calling for opening additional specialized or screened schools. One suggested the new schools would draw the top students from every middle school across the city. Nearly all would keep the SHSAT (which is enshrined in state law) but called for expanded test prep access. One candidate mentioned the importance of ensuring that non-specialized schools have access to more challenging curriculums.
Chalkbeat sent a questionnaire to the leading candidates on March 25 to find out their views on seven pressing issues.”
Read the full article: https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/05/28/mayoral-candidates-discuss-selective-and-specialized-high-school-admissions-shsat/