Save Our Schools Applauds End of Failed TDSB Lottery Admissions

Toronto, ON – Save Our Schools (SOS) is welcoming the long-overdue elimination of the Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) controversial lottery-based admissions policy for specialized secondary school programs.

“We shouldn’t gamble with our children’s education, but for three years, the TDSB did just that,” said Marcin Pęski, a spokesperson for Save Our Schools. “We predicted this social experiment would lead to a decline in academic standards and a mismatch between students and the demanding curricula of these specialized programs. Unfortunately, our expectations were confirmed.”

Since the lottery was implemented, there have been clear signs of its failure. There was noticeable drop in performance in competitive events like math contests and even attempts to remove rigorous programs like the International Baccalaureate (IB) from the specialized category to avoid the lottery’s impact. Replacing auditions, exams, and portfolio reviews with random chance undermined the very purpose of these programs, which were designed to nurture exceptional talent and passion.

“This is a critical turning point for Toronto schools, a move that prioritizes education once again,” said Pęski. “This positive change could not have been accomplished under the previous Board of Trustees, whose leadership prioritized ideology over excellence. We thank Minister of Education Paul Calandra and TDSB Supervisor Rohit Gupta for listening to the concerns of parents and educators and doing the right thing for students.”

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Save Our Schools (SOS) is a coalition of students, parents, educators and community members focused on promoting transparency, accountability, and excellence in public education. SOS was founded in 2023 and is a registered Ontario not-for-profit corporation. 

Media Contact: 

Michael Danishevsky
michael.danishevsky@soschools.ca / (647) 836-3116