New York City schools to add gifted and talented programs to four minority districts in the Bronx and Brooklyn

New York City schools to add gifted and talented programs to four minority districts in the Bronx and Brooklyn

School kids in underserved areas of the Big Apple are getting a better shot at gifted classes in 2016 as the city ends its longstanding practice of excluding poor and minority neighborhoods from gifted and talented programs, city Education department officials said Thursday.

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Education officials passed over the school districts since 2011, saying that too few kids qualified on the city's aptitude test.

Education officials have passed over the same four districts in the Bronx and central Brooklyn for gifted classes since 2011, saying that too few kids qualified on the city’s aptitude test.

But starting in September, those four districts, which include the South Bronx, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville, will offer gifted programs for third graders who will be admitted based on a variety of measures, including attendance and academic performance.

City schools boss Carmen Fariña said all families with students currently in the second grade who live in these districts will be able to apply the new programs this year.

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Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said all families in the second grade can apply for the new programs. They'll be admitted based on a variety of measures, including attendance and academic performance.