Weymouth High School Career Technical Education Adopts New Lottery-Based Admissions Process
WEYMOUTH - September 11 - The Weymouth School Committee reviewed a new state-mandated admissions policy for Weymouth High School's Career Technical Education programs that replaces the current grade-based selection system with a weighted lottery, giving all qualified students a chance at admission regardless of academic performance.
The Full Story
The meeting began with a moment of silence honoring victims of September 11th and remembering two beloved district educators who recently passed away: Lois O'Brien, a 35-year veteran kindergarten teacher, and Eleanor Murray, who taught German and Latin at the high school for 34 years.
CTE Director Samuel DePina presented the comprehensive new admissions policy, explaining that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education mandate, approved by Commissioner Pedro Martinez in August 2025, eliminates the current system based on grades, teacher recommendations, and referrals. "With our current policy, even though it's been phased out, if you don't have the best attendance, if you don't have the best discipline, you receive perhaps a six or a seven, those groups of students don't get to be considered for admission because your groups don't get in," DePina explained, highlighting the equity concerns with the previous system.
The new weighted lottery system addresses a significant demand challenge facing the district. Weymouth High School's CTE programs receive 295-300 applications annually for only 190 available seats across 10 career technical programs. Under the proposed system, every applicant receives one lottery entry for completing their application. Students can earn additional entries by meeting two objective criteria: having fewer than 27 unexcused absences between seventh grade and half of eighth grade, and maintaining good disciplinary standing without major infractions.
DePina emphasized the objective nature of these criteria, stating they are "school-driven objective pulled from our student information portal" and "less likely to be challenged by families and ensure equity without subjective interpretation." The system allows students with additional entries to have better odds in the lottery, but each student can only win admission once, regardless of how many entries they have.
The policy includes provisions for both in-district and out-of-district applicants, with priority given to Weymouth residents on wait lists. Students transferring from other Chapter 74 programs will now face clearer prioritization rules that favor local students who complete the exploratory program.
School Committee members raised several questions about implementation. Member Kathleen Curran questioned whether the district had considered adding an "awareness" criterion that would reward students for attending information sessions or school tours. DePina explained that while this was possible under state guidelines, it would require providing multiple awareness opportunities to ensure equity for all applicants, potentially complicating the process.
"When you have those subjective pieces, those are the ones that lead to a potential appeal," Principal Karen Monaghan added, supporting the move toward objectivity.
DePina also addressed practical concerns, explaining that he has developed a free, in-house lottery system using spreadsheet software to avoid expensive third-party systems costing around $9,000. The system will assign anonymous numbers to applicants and run randomized drawings while maintaining transparency throughout the process.
Superintendent Melanie Curtin provided an extensive back-to-school report, highlighting successful implementation of seven new modular classrooms and clearing of the transportation wait list after processing over 3,000 applications. The district registered over 150 new students between August and September, with 55 of those in kindergarten alone.
In other business, Committee Chair Tracy Nardone discussed streamlining subcommittee meeting schedules to reduce the burden on committee members and administrators, proposing that policy and athletic subcommittees meet on Thursdays when regular school committee meetings are not scheduled.
Public comment featured positive feedback about the proposed CTE changes. Parent Cindy Lyons, whose twins went through the previous admissions process, stated: "I'm very glad to see the academic portion being taken away. There are kids who are eager to learn certain things and doesn't necessarily show in ELA and history things that are more hands on."
Why It Matters
This policy change represents a fundamental shift in how Weymouth High School's popular career technical programs select students, potentially opening opportunities for students who excel in hands-on learning but may struggle with traditional academic measures. With demand consistently exceeding available seats by over 100 students annually, the new system aims to create a fairer process while maintaining program quality and safety standards.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve consent agenda including warrants totaling $983,077.19 and meeting minutes from August 14, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 07:41)
Motion: Adjourn meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:04:20)
Public Comment
Three residents spoke during public comment, with positive feedback on the CTE admissions changes, appreciation for parent council events and special education improvements, and gratitude for the successful start to the school year including new modular classrooms.
What's Next
The CTE admissions policy will return for a second reading at the October 9th school committee meeting. The policy must be finalized and published by November 1st to comply with state mandates. Budget subcommittee meetings are scheduled for September 17th and October 8th. CPAC will hold its introductory meeting on September 16th via Zoom.