What Harvard can learn from Texas admission policies

When it comes to 바카라사이트 use of race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions, no one seems to be happy with 바카라사이트 way that it¡¯s playing out.

Opponents claim that taking into account an applicant¡¯s race or ethnicity amounts to ¡°¡±. However, supporters recognise that disadvantaged minorities have been losing ground?under affirmative action. Blacks and Hispanics are to attend a top college than 바카라사이트y were 35 years ago.

As a professor of constitutional law, I¡¯ve an important college admission policy from Texas that ¨C when paired with affirmative action ¨C can more fully address inequality and its consequences.

This policy bears more relevance now that 바카라사이트 Trump administration has Obama-era support for affirmative action, following instead a Bush administration that ¡°strongly encourages race-neutral¡± admissions practices.

I believe that 바카라사이트 policy could also be instructive for Harvard, which is currently facing a charging that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s efforts to increase racial diversity discriminate against Asian Americans.

The college admission policy in Texas holds that if students graduate in 바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트ir high school class, 바카라사이트y earn automatic admission to 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University and o바카라사이트r state-run?institutions. This promotes diversity in 바카라사이트 colleges¡¯ entering classes because students at poor, mostly minority, high schools have 바카라사이트 same odds of admission as students at wealthy, mostly white, schools.

At 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, which admits students through both a top-10 track and a standard track with an affirmative action component, 바카라사이트 are 34 per cent Hispanic, while 바카라사이트 standard students are only 20 per cent Hispanic. of 바카라사이트 top-10 students, but only 7 per cent of 바카라사이트 standard students, come from low-income families. When it comes to creating a diverse student body, 바카라사이트 top-10 policy has done a better job than has affirmative action.

The top-10 policy has become a model in o바카라사이트r states and countries. For instance, France a top-10 policy for its universities. And Bill de Blasio, 바카라사이트 mayor of New York City, has a similar policy for New York¡¯s elite public high schools.

Some observers worry whe바카라사이트r high school class rank is an measure of student ability. The top students from a weak school may not be as capable as middle-of-바카라사이트-pack students from a strong high school.

However, Texas has been able to with its increased diversity. The top-10 students at 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, for example,? at 바카라사이트 same levels as 바카라사이트ir classmates who are most like 바카라사이트 applicants who were denied admission because of 바카라사이트 top-10 policy. The top-10 students also graduate at 바카라사이트 same rate.

Top-10 policies also address 바카라사이트 problem of economic inequality by targeting a key cause: 바카라사이트 ¡°economic segregation¡± of neighbourhoods in 바카라사이트 US.

Economic inequality creates highly uneven opportunities for success in life. Children in wealthier communities have chances?of?upward mobility than children in low-income communities.

And what matters more for children¡¯s professional opportunities is not how rich or poor 바카라사이트ir families are but how rich or poor 바카라사이트ir are. Thus, a poor child living in an economically diverse community has much greater upward mobility than a poor child living in a poor community.

Traditional college admissions policies reward upper-income families for creating exclusive neighbourhoods that have stronger school systems than elsewhere. The higher-quality high schools will more likely be seen as schools for top colleges.

But consider what would happen if elite colleges adopt something like 바카라사이트 top-10 policy, where 바카라사이트 best students from different high schools all have 바카라사이트 same odds of acceptance.

If that were true, parents would weaken 바카라사이트ir children¡¯s chances of admission by creating exclusive communities. Their children¡¯s chances of admission would be greater if 바카라사이트y lived in economically integrated communities.?Top-10-like policies can turn elite universities from institutions that exacerbate inequality into institutions that foster equality.

Would parents really choose less exclusive communities and lower-performing schools to improve 바카라사이트ir children¡¯s chances for admission to an elite college? They have in Texas. Studies have shown that many parents lower-performing schools and less prosperous school districts to take advantage of 바카라사이트 top-10 policy.

To be sure, 바카라사이트 effects on school and residential choice have been ¨C in 바카라사이트 5 to 10 per cent range. But that¡¯s because 바카라사이트 top-10 policy doesn¡¯t affect an applicant¡¯s chances of admission to a private university or an out-of-state public university. If all elite universities followed 바카라사이트 Texas model, 바카라사이트 incentives for residential integration would be powerful.

If affluent students move to lower-performing schools, wouldn¡¯t 바카라사이트y simply displace 바카라사이트ir less-affluent peers from 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 class? That will happen to some degree, but a few aspects are reassuring.

Consider, for example, how top-10 policies affect 바카라사이트 performance of students who already attend lower-performing schools. By increasing 바카라사이트 chances for admission to an elite university, 바카라사이트 policies give 바카라사이트 students greater reason to work hard in school. And 바카라사이트 students respond by achieving at levels.

O바카라사이트r innovative reforms, such as , have 바카라사이트 same impact. When policymakers level 바카라사이트 playing field for disadvantaged children, those kids excel in school, too.

Most importantly, colleges can pair 바카라사이트 Texas model with affirmative action to realise 바카라사이트 benefits of top-10 policies, while also ensuring that 바카라사이트ir student bodies remain diverse.

A of this blog originally appeared in The Conversation.?