New Lottery At LCPS Career And Technical Academy Sparks Student Backlash

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Following the Loudoun County School Board's approval of admissions changes with a new lottery at the school division's career and technical academy, some members of the community shared criticism.

The school board voted on Oct. 22 to remove the PSAT test as an admissions requirement at Monroe Advanced Technical Academy and add a lottery system for applications to in-demand career programs. The use of a lottery is a change from using a selection committee.

The admissions policy kept enrollment in Algebra I or higher and a counselor recommendation with verification that a student is on track for on-time graduation. Students applying must also have a minimum GPA of 2.0, or 3.0 in select dual enrollment courses when required by Northern Virginia Community College or the PSAT. If students cannot meet the GPA requirements, they may submit PSAT results.

The admissions options for MATA were presented as an informational item on Oct. 22. However, Little River District representative Sumera Rashid made a motion to consider the admissions changes that night, making the changes for the upcoming winter admissions cycle.

The academy, a Governor's STEM Academy, provides career and technical education as part of the Academies of Loudoun. Program options range from auto repairs and construction to culinary arts, nursing aide, and pharmacy technology.

Winter cycle applications for the 2025-2026 school year opened on Nov. 25. The next day, some community members spoke out against the new admissions policy during public comment at the Loudoun County School Board meeting. A petition asking the School Board to reinstate a selection committee review has over 700 signatures.

Aadit Gupta, one of the students who spoke out against the admissions changes, said in an email to Patch that the School Board made the changes without proper community discussion. According to Gupta, concerns shared by students at the School Board meeting included impacts on the quality of the program with lower admissions standards and the lottery's undermining of students' preparations for MATA programs.

"MATA has been a cornerstone of Loudoun County’s educational offerings, preparing students for advanced careers in STEM and technical fields," Gupta shared in an email. "The community strongly believes that such significant changes warrant transparent discussions and collaborative solutions. We respectfully urge the School Board to reconsider the lottery system and explore alternatives that uphold both accessibility and academic rigor."

Gupta said promoting inclusivity was an "admirable goal" but discounted "the importance of merit, passion, and effort, which have historically defined MATA as a hub for driven and high-achieving students."

In a social media post shared with constituents, Rashid responded to criticism about the admissions changes. The school board member said the lottery system was not random, as applicants must first meet the GPA, on-time graduation and Algebra I requirements.

"A lottery will be initiated only when those requirements are met and if the number of applicants exceeds the number of available program slots," Rashid wrote. "That means that only qualified applicants will be offered admission to these important Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs."

Rashid has pushed for the changes due to accessibility issues for students she believes could benefit most from career and technical education. Data presented to the school board showed applications from students with disabilities declined from 16.8 percent in 2019 to 10.7 percent in 2024, while offers fell from 17.2 percent to 9 percent.

Applications for MATA will close at 12 p.m. on Feb. 10, 2025, and offers will be provided in March 2025. During the application cycle, parent informational sessions will be held on Dec. 5 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Academies of Loudoun, Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Potomac Falls High School, and Feb. 4 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Rock Ridge High School.