Feerick Center for Social Justice
Feerick Center for Social Justice
The Center’s establishment reflects Fordham Law School’s long tradition of and commitment to legal education in the service of others and builds on Dean Emeritus John D. Feerick’s contributions as Dean of the Law School (1982-2002) and currently as the Sidney C. Norris Professor of Law.
The Feerick Center for Social Justice and New York Appleseed have released a new report, Equitably Resourcing the NYC High School Admissions Process. The report builds on nearly fifteen years of education equity advocacy focused on New York City’s notoriously complex high school application process and the Feerick Center’s convening and support of the New York City High School Application Advisory Committee or HSAAC. An HSAAC Subcommittee provided invaluable support and guidance in the development of the policy brief. Feerick Center Amanda Rose Laura Foundation Education Law Fellows Matthew Winters ’25 and Halle Farber ’26 helped research and draft the report.
About the Report
Navigating New York City's public high school admissions process places an extraordinary burden on students and families — particularly those who are historically marginalized, under-resourced, or without access to professional guidance. With over 700 programs across 400+ schools, the process is incredibly complex, and families with the fewest resources are the most likely to be left behind as they do their best to navigate the complexities. This report identifies the systemic inequities driving these disparities and offers recommendations for the NYC Public Schools (NYCPS) Office of Student Enrollment (OSE) to address them, including:
- Expanding multilingual and in-person admissions fairs to close the information gap for families with fewer resources or connections;
- Strengthening school- and community-based support at the middle school level to provide students with an understanding of the process, through replicating successful models and increasing capacity in areas such as afterschool, so families are better equipped to navigate the admissions process;
- Reducing unnecessary complexity in school/program choices; and
- Rigorously evaluating whether existing tools and resources are reaching the families who need them most.
While the report acknowledges the meaningful progress OSE has made in recent years toward greater transparency, it calls for continued and deeper investment in equity across the resourcing of the process. The policy brief contains overdue and actionable recommendations, which could help make New York City admissions more equitable and navigable for more students and families.
