Liu: NYC High School Selection 'Unfair, Deeply Flawed'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York City Comptroller John Liu says the process that matches eighth graders with high schools is unfair and arbitrary.
Liu's office audited the process that the city's Department of Education uses to assign each eighth grader to a high school for the following year.
EXTRA: Click Here To Read The Full Audit
He said Thursday that the audit found the system is "sloppy and random.''
"Our audit confirmed what many frustrated parents and students have long suspected: the city's high-school placement process is often unfair and deeply flawed," Liu said in a statement. "Applying to high school is an important and stressful enough experience
for students and parents and it must not be left to a sloppy and random system like the one our audit found."
Liu said many students were denied spots in certain competitive programs even though they met all eligibility requirements. But seats were offered to other students who had not met the criteria.
The audit focused on one school in each borough.
A DOE spokesman said the audit ignores the "enormous'' strides the department has made to implement a fair high school choice process. Liu said the DOE has agreed with some of the audit's recommendations.
Liu is seeking the Democratic nomination for mayor.
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