Voc-Tech committee adopts weighted lottery admissions policy after contentious debate

The Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School District Committee voted Oct. 14 to adopt a revised weighted lottery admissions policy that adds residency verification and clarifies eligibility criteria.

Superintendent Watson presented the policy and the committee approved it after roughly an hour of discussion and several members voicing concerns about how the lottery and eligibility rules would affect applicants. The policy approved by the committee includes a requirement that "all applicants demonstrate proof of residency as a condition of admission" and specifies that if district residency is not confirmed before the admissions lottery date, the application will be considered ineligible.

Why it matters: The policy governs admission to the 2026-27 entering classes at one of the state’s largest vocational-technical high schools, shaping which students from the district’s three sending communities will be eligible for seats. The committee and public focused on the policy’s balance between expanding access for underrepresented groups and protecting standards tied to attendance and discipline.

Superintendent Watson told the committee the draft…