Lottery Admissions Spark Controversy in Toronto Schools

The Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) decision to implement a lottery system for specialty program admissions has ignited significant debate among students, parents, and educators. This policy change, enacted in 2022, replaced merit-based admissions with a random selection process, allowing all interested students to apply. Critics argue that this shift has diluted the quality of programs and negatively affected school spirit, while supporters claim it promotes equity and access for underrepresented students.

At Marc Garneau Collegiate, Grade 12 student Victor Jiang highlights the decline in student engagement since the lottery’s introduction. Once vibrant with student clubs and activities, the school now sees reduced participation, which Jiang attributes to the new admissions policy. He notes that the lottery system has “drastically” altered the dynamics of specialized programs like the TDSB’s math and science-focused TOPS program, leading to a curriculum that does not accommodate varying skill levels. “It profoundly hurts the student community,” says Jiang, who also serves as a TDSB student trustee.

An update to the controversial admissions policy is anticipated soon, with applications for the upcoming academic year set to open in November. The TDSB declined to comment on the matter for this article. Calls for a return to merit-based admissions have grown, with many arguing that the lottery has not achieved the promised diversity and has resulted in increased attrition rates.

Before the lottery system, admission to coveted high school programs was based on merit, including auditions, portfolios, and exams. The new policy, approved by trustees, includes a lottery for oversubscribed programs, with priority given to underrepresented students. This includes a focus on Indigenous applicants, as well as reserving 20 percent of seats for Black, Latin American, and Middle Eastern students. In math and science programs, half of the spots are specifically designated for girls. The intention behind this system was to create a more equitable access pathway and reduce the advantages of families who could afford private tutoring.

Ayan Kailie, whose daughter is part of the first cohort admitted to the Etobicoke School of the Arts under the lottery system, supports the random selection process. She believes it provides opportunities for students from lower-income families who may not have had the means to create competitive portfolios under the previous system. As a single mother, Kailie faced challenges in providing art supplies for her daughter, and she views the lottery as a way to level the playing field. “It drives me crazy when I see people push back on (the lottery),” she says, emphasizing the need for equitable access to specialized programs.

Despite this support, some educators express concerns about the lottery’s impact on program quality. Patricia Warnock, head of the music-theatre program at ESA, argues for a return to merit-based admissions with equitable measures in place. She points out that even before the lottery, ESA was proactive in increasing access by redesigning audition processes and providing free workshops. Warnock also believes that true accessibility would require strengthening arts education in elementary schools and covering costs for families unable to afford transportation to specialized programs.

Reports from ESA indicate a troubling trend in dropout rates and student engagement since the lottery’s implementation. The school has seen a notable increase in students leaving programs after realizing they were not a good fit. For example, last year, nine Grade 9 students transferred out of ESA, significantly up from just one in the 2019-20 academic year. The decline in student numbers is evident; the Grade 11 musical theatre class has dropped from 44 students to just 35. Warnock notes that many students now enrolled may lack a genuine interest in the respective programs, resulting in disengagement.

Students such as Grade 12 student Hailey Jackson at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts echo similar sentiments about the decline in school spirit and community engagement. Jackson, who has observed a drop in the number of LGBTQ students at her school, expresses concern that the lottery system may prevent some students from thriving in inclusive environments. She believes that while the previous system was not without flaws, it maintained a level of merit that could still support equity.

Opposition to the lottery system continues to grow, with voices like Michael Danishevsky, co-chair of the parent council at William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, advocating for its removal. Danishevsky claims that the last three years have illustrated a “failed experiment” characterized by reduced academic standards and increased dropout rates. He notes that the program’s diversity has not improved, as it now admits students randomly rather than selecting those who are genuinely motivated to be there.

In an analysis conducted with University of Toronto economist Marcin Peski, Danishevsky examined how the lottery has affected student performance in math contests. The results indicate a decline in performance coinciding with the lottery’s rollout. For instance, in 2024, four TDSB schools ranked among the Top 20 in the Grade 10 math contest, but by 2025, with the first cohort of lottery-admitted students, none made the Top 20. The report concludes that the lottery admissions policy has materially weakened student performance.

As the TDSB prepares for the upcoming application period, the debate surrounding the lottery admissions policy continues to intensify. Stakeholders across the educational landscape are calling for solutions that balance equity and academic rigor, while ensuring that all students have an opportunity to succeed in specialized programs.