Seven New York City elementary schools will be able to consider factors like income and English language skills in an effort to increase student diversity at their schools, starting this application season for next school year.

Principals of the schools asked for the changes because they were concerned about the increasing lack of socio-economic and racial diversity among their student bodies. 

Anna Allanbrook, principal of the P.S. 146 The Brooklyn New School, said the Education Department's decision was "incredibly significant." The school was originally founded with a mission of having racial diversity, she said, setting aside one third of seats for black students and another third for Latino students. But, by the late 1990s, the school was no longer allowed to use race as a factor in its lottery admissions, she said.  

Now, under the new pilot program, Allanbrook will set aside seats for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, giving them admissions priority after siblings and current pre-K students.

She said more socio-economic diversity would add to all students' classroom experience.

"When you're with people who are different from you, or whose life experiences are different from yours, you learn more about the world," she said. "And that, to me, is huge."

Here is a breakdown of the seven schools and how their admissions policies will work:

• Neighborhood School in Manhattan: Students who qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch or are English language learners would have priority for 45% of seats.
• Earth School in Manhattan: Students who qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch or are English language learners would have priority for 45% of seats.
• Castle Bridge School in Manhattan: Students from families impacted by incarceration would have priority for 10% of seats and students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch would have priority for 60% of seats.
• Academy of Arts and Letters in Brooklyn: Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch would have priority for 40% of seats.
• P.S. 146 Brooklyn New School: Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch would have priority after siblings and current pre-K students.
• P.S. 372 The Children’s School in Brooklyn: Students who qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch or are English language learners would have priority for one-third of seats.
• Brooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School: Students who are English language learners or are in the child welfare system would have priority for 20% of seats.

The admissions changes will apply to entering pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students next school year. The kindergarten application season officially begins on Dec. 7.

“Students learn from the diverse experiences and cultures of their fellow students, and it’s important that our schools match the diversity of our city," said Chancellor Carmen Fariña in a statement. "I’m pleased that by working with principals, superintendents and community members, we were able to create admissions policies that promote diversity and respect the needs of the community. I’m hopeful that these changes will help serve as a model for schools across the city.”   

The decision came at a time when Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration has faced criticism for inaction on confronting segregation in the public school system.

Ritchie Torres, a New York City council member representing the Central Bronx, has been one of those critics. He welcomed the city's announcement as an important but small first step. 

"I think we as a city have to figure out what does a citywide policy of desegregation look like," said Torres. "And I'm not clear that we're thinking about how to promote school diversity at a systemic level."

A study published last year found that New York City was one of the most segregated school systems in the country, due to changing demographics and a lack of diversity-focused policies.