SCOTUS decision on affirmative action could impact admissions at competitive Alexandria high school

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action could have an impact on applicant-only admissions institutions nationwide from colleges and universities and beyond.

Here in the DMV, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology remains embroiled in a court battle over its admissions policy.

The admissions process at the Alexandria high school has been front and center in a years-long court battle over allegations its revamped policies discriminated against Asian Americans in making admissions decisions.

"This is all part of a multifaceted fight to destroy public education and, again, to re-institute a class system," said Makya Little 

Little graduated from the school in 2000. She says the Supreme Court ruling could zero in on merit and socioeconomic opposed to race.

"TJ has essentially become a public-private school. The standardized tests, even the essay that they’ve instituted — there are courses you can sign students up to prepare them for that. So again, you’re not testing for merit, you’re testing for access to resources," said Makya Little, a Thomas Jefferson High School alumnus. 

She also heads the school’s alumni action group and has rallied for changes to the school’s admissions policies — most notably, pushing for merit lottery admissions.

Some believe the Supreme Court ruling could lead to more lawsuits on admissions policies nationwide.

"We’re going to see a second apartheid in this county — a second segregation in this country — not by lawful as in statutory but just in process if we don’t step up and start addressing these issues with our young kids at a younger time and preparing them for the world they’re going to live in," said attorney Philip Thompson, Diverse Engagement CEO

At Thomas Jefferson, the school's newest policy eliminated a $100 application fee and replaced an admissions test with an essay.

FOX 5 has been told prospective students are evaluated on their grades, their essay and their class rank.