Chicago Public Schools is replacing its current high school admissions test for eighth graders with a different exam that is more than twice as long and will be available only in English.
Starting in October, students will take the PreACT 9 Secure instead of the High School Admissions Test, or HSAT, according to an email sent to principals by Karime Asaf, CPS’ chief education officer. Many students spend time preparing for the test, and their scores determine whether they get into a selective-enrollment high school.
The current HSAT is offered in several languages, including Spanish and Arabic. Some parents worry the switch to an exam that’s only in English could worsen disparities in representation that already exist at selective schools…