Boston Exam schools can no longer use the ISEE as an entrance exam, the organization behind the test claims misuse (middle-class, school districts)

[BostonBornMassMade]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/...missions-test/
https://www.universalhub.com/2020/bp...comment-766562

"Boston Public Schools have for years misused the test results that help determine admissions to its coveted exam schools in a way that makes it harder for “underrepresented” students to gain entry, according to the organization that administers the controversial exam.

As a result, the Education Records Bureau decided last spring to sever its relationship with the city’s school district — its largest client — after 25 years, according to an e-mail the Globe obtained from the organization’s president Tom Rochon. The e-mail was sent Tuesday to some of the bureau’s other clients, including 30 independent schools in the Boston area that use the test in admissions decisions."

The group released e-mail to other participating school districts today from President Thomas Rochon:

"Our decision to no longer supply the ISEE for admission purposes in the BPS exam schools was made because the District continues to utilize ISEE scores in ways that do not align with ERB implementation guidelines or best practices in admissions. That misapplication of ISEE scores has been one factor in perpetuating admissions outcomes that disproportionately affect students belonging to underrepresented groups, thus reducing their access to the educational opportunities available in the exam schools.

ERB has requested multiple times that the District use ISEE scores in an appropriate way, for example by stopping their practice of summing the four measures of verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, mathematical achievement and reading comprehension into a single score. We also attempted several times over the last eight years to work with District leaders to identify the most equitable and valid way to weight ISEE scores by offering to fund the appropriate research studies, but we were always rebuffed. The most recent refusal from the District to undertake a validity study and reform their admission process came last year, leading us to notify them that ERB will no longer be part of their process. District leaders have chosen not to make that fact public but have instead begun to point to the ISEE as the root cause of their admissions disparities."

One of the biggest developments in BPS in a long time.

Although this has long been suspected of the ISEE in regard to BLS amongst African Americans in the city (I've heard about this since I was ~7/8 years old) it is very surprising to learn the organization behind the test has been the same view and has been fighting over it for eight years!

I suspect this will lead to a slight decline in middle-class families in the city.

But it is important to note METCO very recently went from "first-come, first-served" basis at an physical office in Roxbury to a lottery system used online. That decision was made to give latino children and immigrant children more spots in METCO which as of now is pretty much just middle class Black American and 3rd generation black kids. Some would be metco kids might now gain entry into BLS.

And make no mistake-this is pretty much a BLS issue not BLA or JDOB

[Boston Shudra]

I wonder how the admissions decisions of the other “30 independent schools” that use the test compared to those of Boston. Would the ERB have been fine with BLS modeling it’s admissions strategy perfectly after those found at BB&N or BC High?

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by iAMtheVVALRUS

I wonder how the admissions decisions of the other “30 independent schools” that use the test compared to those of Boston. Would the ERB have been fine with BLS modeling it’s admissions strategy perfectly after those found at BB&N or BC High?

my guess is they have different recommendations of use for private schools. One of the issues is the ISEE test for many things that simply aren't taught at all in the BPS system. So kids coming from Private schools have an advantage in admissions.

This was certainly my experience as a private school kid. We had optional in-school test prep for ISEEs an hour before classes and BLS and BLA were very real options for 6th grade families. They were talked about by teachers and were on the lists of schools we should apply to that was posted in our classroom. Finally enough my private school had a higher share of black and hispanic students than BLS. Much higher and all of the black children in my class went on to graduate from 4 year universities.- shows what can be done with the right class background and prep.

[Boston Shudra]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

my guess is they have different recommendations of use for private schools.

Well I guess that’s the kicker, isn’t it?

Apparently, in the Boston area, schools are only allowed to either be completely exclusive or completely unexclusive. The idea that some schools might try to both maintain a level of quality while also offering opportunity to “the unwashed masses” is despicable. How disgusting.

[Boston Shudra]

I’d also like to remind everyone that BLS used to only consider exam results for half the seats in its entering classes, but a panel of judges ruled that the practice was illegal.

tl;dr - BLS isn’t allowed to consider race or income in its admissions process because doing so would be discriminatory against wealthy, white people.

[gunit00]

Originally Posted by iAMtheVVALRUS

I’d also like to remind everyone that BLS used to only consider exam results for half the seats in its entering classes, but a panel of judges ruled that the practice was illegal.

tl;dr - BLS isn’t allowed to consider race or income in its admissions process because doing so would be discriminatory against wealthy, white people.

This!!!!

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by iAMtheVVALRUS

I’d also like to remind everyone that BLS used to only consider exam results for half the seats in its entering classes, but a panel of judges ruled that the practice was illegal.

tl;dr - BLS isn’t allowed to consider race or income in its admissions process because doing so would be discriminatory against wealthy, white people.

Isnt BLS mostly non white?

[BostonBornMassMade]

BLS has hovered between 45-50% for at least the last 10 years. It’s between 19-21% black and Latino combined compared to more than 70% system wide.

Prior to 1997 a quota was in place where the school had to be at least 35% black and Latino. Once that was repealed by 2005-06 it was only 15% black and Latino combined and 54% white. The huge shift within 8 years was probably pretty off putting and jarring/glaring Within the BLS community. Newer classes who demographically didn’t resemble older classes probably created a lot of discussion in the early 2000s and they’ve been sort of dealing with this ever since.

Today there are about 1/3rd as many black BLS students as in 1997.

Since then ‘efforts have been’ made to diversify, with relatively little success.

In 1997, BLS demographics more closely resembled BLA.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

BLS has hovered between 45-50% for at least the last 10 years. It’s between 19-21% black and Latino combined compared to more than 70% system wide.

Prior to 1997 a quota was in place where the school had to be at least 35% black and Latino. Once that was repealed by 2005-06 it was only 15% black and Latino combined and 54% white. The huge shift within 8 years was probably pretty off putting and jarring/glaring Within the BLS community. Newer classes who demographically didn’t resemble older classes probably created a lot of discussion in the early 2000s and they’ve been sort of dealing with this ever since.

Today there are about 1/3rd as many black BLS students as in 1997.

Since then ‘efforts have been’ made to diversify, with relatively little success.

In 1997, BLS demographics more closely resembled BLA.

Yes that was due to a lawsuit in the late 90s filed by the family of a white girl who didn't make the cut, arguing that she was passed over by minority students with lower test scores.

[bigfatdude]

I see some groups really want to change BLs into #BLMs...