Press Release: 6/30/2025
Weighted Lottery for Vocational HS Admissions is in effect; proposal to block this backed by vocational superintendents in the House budget was NOT included in the final House-Senate Conference Committtee
Vocational Education Justice Coalition
For Immediate Release, June 30, 2025
Press Contact: Lew Finfer (617) 470-2912
--Finally after a 7 year campaign; A Weighted Lottery for Vocational HIgh School Admissions takes effect
--Students who are Students of Color, English Language Learners, Low Income, and Special Needs students will now have an equal chance at admission to a vocational high school to other students
--Attempt by Vocational Superintendents to block the Weighted Lottery policy passed by the Board of Education on May 20 was not successful as the Senate did not agree to a House passed outside section that would have blocked this
For more than 20 years, vocational high schools were allowed by the State Board of Education to rank students by Grades, Attendance, Discipline, Guidance Counselor recommendations, and Interviews. This resulted according to DESE's own data in less Students of Color, less English Language Learners, less Special Needs students being admitted compared to other students. This was discriminatory and violated civil rights laws.
After a relentless 7 year campaign by the Vocational Education Justice Coalition to change this discriminatory policy, this finally changed yesterday with the filing of the House-Senate Conference Committee on the FY 26 Budget.
The Board of Education had finally passed a Weighted Lottery Admissions Policy on May 20. But the Vocational Superintendents had led an effort to try to block implementation of this policy. They got such a provision into the House FY 26 budget. But the Senate, led by Senate Ways and Means Chair Senator Michael Rodrigues and Senator John Cronin would not agree to this in the House-Senate Conference Committee negotiations and it was not in yesterday's filed Conference Committee recommendations.
A vocational high school education offers students both a strong academic program and majoring one of 20 or so vocational training majors. If a student graduates from a regular district high school and does not get further post high school education and training, they will get a minimum wage job. But with a vocational high school education, a student can get a job paying well over $50,000. A lot of life's opportunities flow from this opportunity.
There are many people and organizations to thank for this policy that increases opportunity and we thank them.
1. Governor Maura Healey's support for the Weighted Lottery was crucial to its passage.
Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler was her point person for getting this passed at the Board of Education.
2. Attorney General Andrea Campbell's public and behind the scenes support was crucial to its passage.
3. The Senate led by Senator Michael Rodrigues's refusal to allow blocking of the new policy in the budget process was also crucial.
4. Senator John Cronin as Senate Chair of the Gateway Cities Caucus was a tireless leader on this campaign for so many years.
5. Senate President Karen Spiilka and Senate Education Chair Jason Lewis gave support too.
6. Representative Tony Cabral (D-New Bedford) gave continuing support as House Chair of the Gateway Cities Caucus.
7. The State Board of Education voted 7-2 for the change to the Weighed Lottery on May 20.
Previous Acting DESE Commissioner Russell Johnston recommended this change to the Board.
We thank them all!!!
We know there is much work to do on implementing this policy so it can meet its promise. We are at work on this already with DESE and with school superintendents.
Although we have been in a battle with vocational school superintendents and their organization MA Alliance of Vocational Administrators, we hope to work with them on its implementation. We have been working with them for years already though the Alliance for Vocational Technical Education (AVTE) that we both help lead. The $100 million passed in the FY 24 Supplemental Budget for Millionaire's Tax spending will make a dent in the current 10,000 student waiting list.
The Vocational Education Justice Coalition is made up of these 22 community groups, unions, and civil rights groups.
Community Groups
La Colaborativa (formerly the Chelsea Collaborative)
Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN)
Collaborative Parent Leadership Action Network (CPLAN)
Greater Boston Latino Network
United Interfaith Action of SE MA, Worcester Interfaith
Progressive Democrats Massachusetts
Black Educators Alliance of Massachusetts
Citizens for Public Schools
Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance
Pioneer Valley Project
Brockton Interfaith Community
Worcester Interfaith
Revere Youth in Action
Massachusetts Action for Justice
Civil Rights & Legal groups
Center for Law & Education
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
Social Justice Foundation
Metro West Legal Services
Unions
American Federation of Teachers MA (AFTMA),
Greater Boston Building Trades Council
North Atlantic Council of Carpenters Union