Mayor Adams, Chancellor Banks Announce Key Updates to New York City Public Schools' Application Process for Middle and High School Families

September 27, 2024

Changes Will Remove Historic Limits on Families in Application Processes,

Allowing Families to Enroll in Middle Schools Citywide and List

Unlimited Number of Schools in High School Applications 

New Application Tool Leverages Technology Built in Partnership with MIT, Giving Families More Information on Admissions Chances 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Public Schools Chancellor David C. Banks today announced a series of updates to the public-school application process, designed to expand access and student choice, as well as provide additional support to prospective high school students. Three key application changes will support families in navigating the admissions process, including removing district requirements for middle schools so families can apply citywide, permitting families to apply to an unlimited number of high schools, and leveraging technology to provide families with better information in making their application decisions. These updates come in response to engagements with a range of stakeholders, including parents, Community Education Council representatives, the chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council, advocates, researchers, and school leadership and staff on their feedback regarding admissions, as well as annual surveys with responses from over 5,000 families on the application process.

“Our administration continues to expand access and increase equity across our public school system, and today’s announcement on admissions changes for middle and high schools does just that,” said Mayor Adams. “I am proud to announce changes to decades-old processes, which will allow students to apply to middle schools citywide while still giving preference to district students, open-up the high school application process so that families can apply to as many schools as they like, and use technology to help inform families’ application decisions during the high school admissions process. Improving educational choice for New York City students is a key part of our mission to make our city a better place to live for New York families, and we are continuing to deliver on this mission.”

“As the largest school district in the nation, opportunity is around every corner for our young people,” said Public Schools Chancellor Banks. “Enrollment updates like these make accessing these educational opportunities easier for students of all ages and make the admissions process easier for families. I am thrilled that we've improved our enrollment processes and policies in response to direct feedback from our school communities, and I look forward to continuing to support our students as they embark on their unique learning journeys.”

“As a mom of a New York City public school student and an educator, I know firsthand the challenges that families face during the application process,” said incoming Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “I'm excited that we're bringing more clarity for families by giving them insight into their chances of acceptance and allowing them to apply to as many high schools as they wish. This change represents a significant step forward in school choice, opening up opportunities for middle schoolers across the entire city, and shining a light on the hidden gems across our system. We will continue to improve our systems to make them more family friendly.”

“These updates represent a critical step toward ensuring every family has greater access and choice in our public schools,” said City Hall Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “By removing outdated barriers and leveraging technology, we are making the admissions process easier and empowering students and their families with the tools they need to make informed decisions for their education.

This is major step toward equity, opportunity, and a brighter future for New York City students. New York City Public Schools is expanding access to middle schools across the city by allowing families to apply to any middle school in the city. Importantly, students will maintain priority for their home zone and/or district. If space allows, students living outside of a zone and/or district can be admitted to a school, which will strengthen neighborhood schools, where, historically, families who lived on the border of multiple districts were unable to apply for schools that they live within proximity to but were not technically the district in which they reside. Across most grade bands — such as 3-K, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and high school — families can apply to almost any school of interest across the city.”

Today’s announcement ensures that middle school applications are no longer limited to district restrictions, which was largely the case previously. Approximately half of the 1,120 respondents to a 2023 middle school admissions survey said they would have applied to schools outside of their district if that was an option to them, another way the Adams administration has taken decisive action to be responsive to families’ priorities.

Additionally, as of the high school admissions cycle, students across all grades will now have the ability to list an unlimited number of application choices, an expansion from the original 12. Families are not required to list more programs than they previously would have, but families who have additional preferences can now include them in their application to expand choice and maximize their options.

Finally, beginning this fall, high school applicants will have access to a new feature in MySchools — the city’s centralized hub for public school applications and enrollment — that helps them better understand their chance of getting an offer to a program. Developed in collaboration with New York City Public Schools’ Division of Instructional and Information Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Blueprint Labs, the New York City Public Schools Office of Student Enrollment developed a feature to support families in making high school application decisions. For each program, students will see an icon indicating whether they have a “high,” “medium,” or “low” chance of receiving an offer, based on the applicant’s admissions characteristics like district or borough, grades, priority group, and the school’s admissions method, such as whether the admission is open or screened. This easy-to-access information will open up additional options for students who, without the new icon, may not otherwise have applied, and it will lead to more students submitting balanced applications listing schools with a range of selectivity levels. 

There are some programs where a student’s chances of receiving an offer are unknown because the program has additional requirements that determine how offers are made, such as an audition or an assessment. In these cases, families will see a different icon and an explanation of why their chances cannot be shown for this program. The tool is meant to be a guide and resource for families as they navigate the admissions process and should not be considered a pre-determined outcome. 

Today’s announcement further builds on the Adams administration’s two years of core educational accomplishments for New York City public school students, including implementing a major literacy initiative through “NYC Reads;” instituting nation-leading dyslexia supports; opening 35 new, bilingual education programs across 16 districts in 2024 for a total of 559 programs in 11 languages; expanding Gifted and Talented Programs; increasing both math and English Language Arts test scores; building nine new schools for the 2024-2025 school year alone; helping students prepare for college and careers through a Modern Youth Apprenticeship program; dramatically increasing early childhood enrollment with over 150,000 children enrolled across the system last year; cementing new labor contracts for teachers, principals, and staff; and, recently, unveiling a signature math initiative, “NYC Solves,” as well as creating the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning to prioritize the city's most vulnerable students and families, including multi-language learners and students with disabilities.

“Today we launch historic reforms to make the middle and high school admissions processes the most user-friendly, responsive, and accessible they have ever been,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “Education is the pathway to success, and we must make it as easy as possible for parents to make the right choices for their children. Parents can now apply to middle schools citywide, rank unlimited high school choices, and access an app from MIT providing critical information to make an informed decision. Our reforms come in response to engagement with thousands of families and other stakeholders, recognizing their wants and needs. Together, we will create an admissions process that works for all families in the nation’s largest school system.”

“Applying to high schools and middle schools in our city can be confusing, so any steps taken to make the process work better for students and their parents is deeply appreciated,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “The updates announced today will do a great deal to address student and parental concerns and will help students get into the schools that will best serve their needs. I encourage students and parents to take advantage of all the resources available to them, including those that will be found at the High School Selection and Awareness Fair that my office will be hosting at Queens Borough Hall on Monday, September 30, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.”