Since April 2018 when his appointed Public Education Chancellor, Richard A. Carranza took office, the duo has been out to shake the structure of NYC Public middle and High School admission process. There have been several policies dolled out to ensure diversity and fairness; speaking for the inner City children of minorities who have for long been left behind in the process. They added one to the list just last week Thursday.

On August 15th in Brooklyn, Carranza announced a streamlined admission process for the 2020-2021 middle and high school year that would cut out the bureaucracy, which is actually well known with government process, to provide a clear and quicker admission process and and carry all families along. Their new policy will create a single application round, and would clearly inform parents of deadline. Students that don’t make it in to their priority choice of school will reportedly go on a waitlist, and should expect to be duly informed if and once they make it in.

“Parents have enough on their plate—tangling with bureaucracy to get their child into school shouldn’t add to the load,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We are changing the middle and high school application processes so families don’t have to go through the gauntlet just to get a placement. There will be one application round and one deadline to make everyone’s lives easier.”

—–Mayor De Blasio

“We’ve heard from families and educators that they want a simpler, more transparent, and more accessible system of school choice, and today we’re taking a step forward…..This common-sense change will make a real difference for families across the five boroughs, and improve our middle and high school choice process for years to come.”

—–Chancellor Carranza

But writing policies to fix the NYC Public education system is perhaps the least of the work. The draining part of it all is the drama: standing face-to-face with the parents from privileged background and telling them that the zoning wall -which had precluded many underserved families from getting quality education, and that has for long perpetuated the modern day segregation, and which they are hugely benefiting from- is coming down.

The debate on the issue is endless, and positions are cut and dry. The groups benefiting from the current structure are arguing that it’s all a matter of taking initiative plus it’s their rights to their residents taxes. They can’t possibly help a parent who choose not to be involved in their kids education. More importantly, they are paying so much to afford living in their zones. The City Hall and the minority parents are simply saying ‘common; most people would be like you if the playing field had been leveled all along’. The case is currently moving, albeit slowly, through the New York State legislation. It was adjourned last month.

Not sure how Albany will rule, but until then, it’s certain that the duo will keep pushing the envelope.