Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Honors Thesis (Colby Access Only)

Department

Colby College. Education Program

Advisor(s)

Adam Howard

Abstract

Specialized high schools, or public high schools with admissions requirements such as an entrance examination, have received significant criticism in recent years because of the exclusionary nature of their admissions processes. While the admissions processes at specialized high schools have received large amounts of attention, less attention has been paid to life “on the inside” of specialized high schools (i.e., the experiences of students who attend specialized high schools). By interviewing community members at one specialized high school, this study sought to explore the relationship between equity and specialized high schools.

My interviews with community members at one specialized high school illuminate three primary themes about the relationship between equity and specialized high schools. First, specialized high schools promote equity for their students by catering to student needs, holding all students to high expectations, preparing students for college, providing all students with access to extracurriculars, allowing students to influence the curriculum, and creating opportunities for students to develop relationships with teachers and administrators. Second, specialized high schools have changed over time from less equitable educational environments to more equitable educational environments. Third, despite promoting equity for their students in a number of ways, the admissions processes at specialized high schools act as a gatekeeper to equity, creating a “best and the rest” dynamic where select students get access to a rigorous specialized high school education while other students are not provided with the same level of educational opportunity.

Keywords

Educational Equity, Specialized High Schools, Exam Schools

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