Supreme Court to review race-neutral admissions challenge

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Montgomery County, Maryland’s admissions policy for four selective magnet middle schools, with Asian American families alleging that changes intended to broaden access disadvantaged their children. The district says its criteria are race-neutral; the dispute centers on what evidence plaintiffs must provide to show that a neutral policy has a discriminatory effect, amid disagreement among federal appeals courts over how to measure that impact. The case could affect how courts assess similar admissions policies nationwide, including those used by competitive public schools in Philadelphia. The court is expected to issue a decision in 2027.