about for the past nine years. >> reporter: micia mosley, a part-time standup comedian and teacher who founded the black teacher project in the bay area, says it's no surprise elite schools lack diversity. >> by nature they're exclusive. so how do you have diversity inside a system or an organization or a school that's designed to shut people out? we say we want diversity in this country, we're asking things of schools that we're unwilling to do ourselves. >> reporter: her answer: >> so you groom people. this idea that folks are born innately with the skills to succeed in these elite schools is ridiculous. everyone's groomed. whether that means that you have a parent who's making sure your academics are in order, or you go to a good school that's preparing you. folks don't come out of the womb

more minority kids into elite schools, nearly everyone agrees, is to start young. >> i went to brooklyn tech high school in new york city, which is a specialized high school, had to take an exam. and i know that the preparation i had in elementary and middle school allowed me to do well on that exam, allowed me to do well in school. >> reporter: lowell and the nation's other elite public high schools have acknowledged they have a long way to go to achieve the diversity they say they value. for the pbs newshour and education week, i'm spencer michels in san francisco.