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SD 2005

An Act to end discriminatory outcomes in vocational school admissions

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by John Cronin and 1 co-sponsor

Uses a lottery for vocational-technical admissions when demand exceeds seats to ensure fair access, plus public waitlists and annual data reporting.

House concurred
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Bill Summary · SD 2005

Summary: An Act to end discriminatory outcomes in vocational school admissions (Senate Docket No. 2005)

Status: House concurred; Introduced February 27, 2025

Bill overview:
- Purpose: To ensure all students have an equal chance of admission to vocational-technical education programs by creating a lottery-based admissions process when applications exceed available spaces, and by increasing transparency through data collection and reporting.

What the bill would do (key provisions):
- Legislative insertion and scope
- Amends Chapter 74 of the General Laws by adding Section 5C after Section 5B.
- Applies to admissions to vocational-technical schools or programs within vocational-technical schools or comprehensive high schools, including exploratory programs.

  • Eligibility and admissions basics

    • Defines “Eligible applicant” as a student who meets the requirements to be promoted to the applicable grade; any admission offered before promotion is contingent on promotion.
    • Defines “Department” as the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

  • Lottery-based admissions (primary mechanism to prevent discrimination)

    • If there are more eligible applicants than spaces, admissions shall be determined by a lottery (random selection).
    • Districts may consider attendance and discipline for entry to the lottery.

  • Waitlist process and vacancy filling

    • Applicants who enter the lottery but are not admitted are placed on a waitlist, ordered by the lottery.
    • The waitlist must include name, home address, telephone number, grade level, and any other information the department deems necessary.
    • Schools must forward the waitlist to the Department of Education by June 1 of the lottery year.
    • The Department maintains a consolidated waitlist to track demand by city/town.
    • If a vacancy arises after the initial admissions cycle, the school must admit the next eligible student on the waitlist and continue until all vacancies are filled.

  • Data collection and transparency

    • The Commissioner (of Education) shall collect data on:
    • Application, admission, enrollment, and waitlist information, including race, ethnicity, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and English language learners.
    • The number of students in each vocational program receiving services under chapters 71A or 71B (or both).
    • The Commissioner must annually file this data with the clerks of the House and Senate and the joint Committee on Education.
    • Data must be made publicly available online no later than November 1 each year.

  • Regulatory framework

    • The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall promulgate regulations to implement and enforce Section 5C.

Impact and affected parties:
- Affected entities: Sending school districts, vocational-technical schools, comprehensive high schools with vocational programs, and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
- Potential effects: Moves admissions toward equity by removing subjective preferential factors when demand exceeds capacity; enhances transparency through standardized waitlists and public reporting; imposes new data collection and reporting requirements that may involve additional administrative work.

Procedural timeline and status:
- Filed: January 17, 2025
- Introduced: February 27, 2025
- Legislative actions on record: Referred to the Committee on Education (February 27, 2025); House concurred (February 27, 2025)
- Version lineage: Similar matter previously filed in 2023-2024 as Senate Bill no. 2667

Notes:
- The bill represents a structural change to admissions in vocational education, prioritizing nondiscriminatory access and data-driven oversight.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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