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NYC High School Test System Fails
15 Nov
Summary
- Online SHSAT admissions test faced technical failures.
- Thousands of students were affected by the system outage.
- The test will be rescheduled for affected students.
Technical issues disrupted the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) for many New York City students. The online system, crucial for admission to the city's eight specialized high schools, failed on November 14, 15, and 21, and November 18 (in-school). Students were sent home with assurances of a retake opportunity. Approximately 30,000 eighth graders and 5,000 ninth graders typically take this test annually.
The New York City Department of Education confirmed a vendor-side technical problem prevented many from accessing or finishing the exam. Pearson, the vendor, did not comment. The DOE stated that all students unable to complete the test will be automatically rescheduled without affecting their scores or admission chances.
Future test dates might also be impacted, though this was not confirmed. The department apologized for the disruption and is working with Pearson to prevent recurrence. The SHSAT has been the exclusive admissions measure for schools like Stuyvesant High School and Bronx High School of Science since transitioning to an online format in 2025.
