New York State Supreme Court Judge Joan B. Lobis ruled that the Department of Education (DOE) acted illegally in moving to close 19 schools, voted on at the January meeting of the Panel for Education Policy. Specifically, she held that the DOE failed to follow requirements in issuing Environment Impact Statements (EIS) on how school closings would affect their communities. This requirement was stipulated in the law passed by the state last August granting the mayor control of the city's schools.

The purpose of requiring an EIS for each school closure, the court explained, is to assess the impact of closure on the school's programs as well as to create a public process that allows for meaningful community involvement in the decision-making process. The court went on to note that the DOE's "very arguments would appear to trivialize the whole notion of community involvement, in decisions regarding the closings or phasing out of schools."

Read the full ruling here.

What's next?

The decision is essentially sending the DOE back to the drawing board. They'll have to re-issue an EIS for each of the 19 schools slated to be closed or phased out and allow for community involvement in the decision-making process. Bottom line: the schools must stay open for now, but the decision does not preclude their closure in the future.

What about the high school acceptance letters?

The decision releases the high school matching letters for any student who is not "directly affected by the proposed closure or phase out of the 19 schools."

According to the DOE, the Office of Student Enrollment will mail letters to students' homes  "as soon as possible".

Here's  the DOE's statement:

"A decision has just been reached in the lawsuit brought by the UFT and others that has impacted the high school admissions process. As soon as possible, the Office of Student Enrollment will mail a letter to the home address that is listed on the high school application. We know how difficult this delay has been for you and your family and we thank you for your patience."

According to the Daily News, 8500 students applied to one of the 19 schools at issue. Under the decision, those students will not get a matching letter.

We'll keep you posted as more updates come in. And let us know once you get the letter!