A panel of university based consultants examined the admissions process of New York City Public High schools in order to make recommendations that would increase access to programs and schools for all populations without reducing school effectiveness. The six sections of the report include: (1) perceptions of the problems and rationales; (2) new policy and procedures; (3) student choices; (4) matching choices and schools; (5) making choices meaningful: school continuity and coherence; and (6) assessing and managing the system. Among the recommendations are the following: (1) a student assignment system to promote professional collaboration; (2) collaboration among schools within program clusters; (3) school performance accountability referenced both to individual schools and to the team of schools that form a cluster; (4) development of admission criteria and mechanisms within clusters; (5) a new formula for assigning students to educational option schools and programs that balances equitable access with improvement of instructional activities; (7) continued Board support for the development of educational programs of choice in all schools combined with a moratorium on the development of educational option schools; (8) no screened programs; (9) entry into school programs regardless of residence; (10) integrated processes for collecting information, making decisions, and notifying students; (11) the development of quality control procedures; and (12) monitoring the composition of entering classes. (ETS)