Lynn Vocational Technical Institute to use weighted lottery; committee approves policy

The Lynn Public Schools committee on Sept. 11 approved a new admissions policy for Lynn Vocational Technical Institute (LVTI) that shifts admissions to a weighted lottery, allows current eighth‑grade students to apply for ninth grade, and sets application windows and weighting factors.

The decision formalizes rules the district will use this year to fill LVTI’s roughly 360 ninth‑grade seats, including a plan that reserves at least 60 seats for new ninth‑grade entrants if many current eighth‑grade students choose to stay.

The change responds to statewide direction requiring lotteries and weighted lotteries for admission to career and technical education (CTE) schools, district staff told the policy subcommittee. Principal Gallo told the subcommittee the new policy is intended to reduce abrupt midyear removals of students who began in eighth grade under previous practices: "…halfway through the year, we tell them, you know, thanks for coming. See you. You're not gonna stay here for the ninth grade," he said. Under the new rules, those students will be able to…