NYC unveils plan to diversify public schools

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - Education officials unveiled a master plan to integrate New York City schools. The 12-page report lists several ways to place students in underrepresented communities at better schools.

New York suffers from the worst racial segregation out of any state, according to a 2014 report by the Civil Right Project at UCLA. Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration has been under fire to desegregate city schools since the report came out.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina told Fox 5 the city's new program seeks to ease barriers by posting applications online, launching a new web page to share diversity efforts, getting rid of requirements to attend school open houses and more.

Critics say the program doesn't go far enough.

"I think it's what we believe are strong first steps," de Blasio said at a press conference Thursday. The mayor also rolled out a plan to expand AP and computer science education. He sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo asking to extend mayoral control over New York City schools. More than 100 business leaders have signed the letter.

With mayoral control, de Blasio is promising computer science education for all grades by 2025.

Cuomo's office did not reply to our request for comment.