US Supreme Court to review Maryland school admissions lawsuit

The US Supreme Court has agreed to review a lawsuit challenging the admissions policy of four selective public middle schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. A coalition of parents alleges that the county’s lottery-based system for magnet schools unfairly disadvantages Asian American applicants, violating the 14th Amendment’s equal protection guarantee.

The current policy screens students for academic potential before utilizing a lottery to assign them to magnet schools or local schools offering enriched instruction. While a lower court previously dismissed the lawsuit—finding no evidence of discriminatory intent or disproportionate disadvantage—the Supreme Court will now consider reviving the challenge.

The case follows the court’s 2023 decision to strike down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. A ruling is expected by the end of June 2027.