New York, NY – Last month the Department of Education announced several new changes made to the SHSAT – the entrance exam for Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech and the new Specialized High Schools. In response to these changes, Khan’s Tutorial has held several training sessions with SHSAT Instructors, Managers, and Directors in order to keep families and students informed. Curriculum managers have been working around the clock to update diagnostic test material as well as class work and homework with the new sections. Additionally, upcoming parent-teacher conferences will be a great chance for families to voice their concerns, ask questions, and learn more about the changes.
“We anticipate these new changes to be tricky for our students. The new emphasis on grammar will make it critical that all students practice their writing and language arts portions regularly during 6th and 7th grade. Khan’s new writing program which started last year was ahead of the SHSAT announcement in preparing our students for writing and we have an entire team dedicated to continuously developing our curriculum,” said Dr. Ivan Khan, President & CEO of Khan’s Tutorial.
Just last week, SHSAT Instructors across all 10 KT branches gathered for a strategy meeting at Khan’s newly opened Jamaica office, their 3rd location in the neighborhood. In addition to Instructor training, Khan’s has also held a strategy meeting with Directors to discuss how the new changes will affect the community and how KT can better prepare their students.
“I am glad to see the removal of scrambled paragraphs from the test. While I am very confident in our brand new updated SHSAT Grammar Curriculum and the training of our Instructors, Managers, and Directors – we want to be sure that all parents are ready for the extra practice that is required at home. This weekend me, Ivan, and our entire team of full-time staff is visiting every single branch to inform all of our valued parents of the best way their children can stay ahead at home,” said Mrs. Nayeema Khan, Chairperson.
“New York City’s Specialized High Schools are great assets of our city and country. Generations of students have taken the SHSAT, have gotten into one of the SHSs, were educated and have served our families and communities in many capacities while staying in NY or moving far away. Overall these generations, the SHSAT has been an objective, academic and competitive test, which is absolutely key to the success of our SHSs and their students. The SHSAT is changing this year — a little longer, some parts deleted, some new parts added (the merits of which we can discuss) — but it remains objective, academic, and competitive. Both the old and new SHSATs test for basic math and verbal skills. Those are needed wherever students go, whatever students do, whether students go to an SHS or not. Test prep will help for a test, but students should really learn the topics. Study early and learn, not just for a test, but for the critical knowledge,” said Wai Wah Chin, former Stuyvesant Parent Association President. Ms. Chin’s four children have graduated from Stuyvesant High School and she is an active leader in the education community.
“We are positive in our efforts to lead our students and families to success. In the past 20 years Khan’s has grown to be New York’s #1 tutorial for the SHSAT and we look forward to celebrating our newest batch of hundreds of accepted students and their families at our Annual SHSAT Awards Ceremony at the renowned Colden Auditorium at Queens College,” said Dr. Ivan Khan, President & CEO of Khan’s Tutorial.
With 10 locations in the outer boroughs of New York City, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and in the Jackson Heights, Jamaica, Astoria, Ozone Park, and Floral Park neighborhoods of Queens, Khan’s Tutorial primarily serves in assisting families in low-income, new immigrant neighborhoods. Over 2,217 students have gained admission to New York City’s Specialized High Schools through Khan’s Tutorial since its inception in 1994.