Trustees of the Toronto District School Board voted to cancel all tests, exams, and admission requirements for grades for dozens of schools and specialized programs at a meeting held on Wednesday night.

Instead, the trustees approved a new policy where high school students seeking to enroll in dozens of specialized programs in arts, athletics, sciences, mathematics, and other specialized programs will rely on "interest or preference," with a random draw of applicants conducted whenever there is demand and available seats.

The change aims to "move away from the model that only accepts those who had ability and excellence" towards a model that provides all students who show interest with equal opportunities to enroll in one of the programs.

Chairman Alexander Brown said in a statement, "We have a responsibility to take action to improve the entry procedures to desired programs for all students as we will identify systemic barriers. This new policy will ensure that a larger number of students gain access to these programs and high-quality schools while reducing the barriers that have prevented many students from applying for a long time."

The current admission procedures for specialized programs of the Toronto District School Board have been criticized for favoring students from wealthier families.

The new application process will begin in September 2023.

During the consultation process, board staff found that the set of tests and exams required for students to apply to programs needed attending specialized schools and courses to prepare students to be eligible for these programs; on the other hand, they found that students enrolled in the board's French language schools do not require such a condition and rely only on the student's "interest."

The use of grades and paying fees for applications will be banned in the new system.

However, applicants can still submit "statements of interest" and "proofs of creativity," and in the case of athletics, they will need a letter from a coach.

Students will also be restricted from applying to more than one of about 40 specialized programs across the city.

The board says only 20 percent of students apply to more than one program.

Staff wrote in a report sent to trustees: "Many students can only think about applying to the central program or the school closest to their homes."

Edited by: Dima Abu Khair