District/School Resources PK-16 Program Support
Office for Career/Vocational Technical Education

The Office for Career/Vocational Technical Education administers Commonwealth of Massachusetts' General Law (M.G.L.) Chapter 74 governing vocational technical education programs in public school districts. The Office also administers the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 P.L. 109-270 (Perkins IV), and the federal Guidelines for Eliminating Discrimination and Denial of Services on the Basis of Race, Color, National Origin, Sex, and Handicap in Vocational Education Programs 34 CFR, Part 100, Appendix B (Civil Rights Guidelines).

Definitions

• Chapter 74-approved vocational technical education programs are programs that meet the definition of vocational technical education contained in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 74, and are approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to Chapter 74 and the Vocational Technical Education Regulations. Note that all Chapter 74-approved vocational technical education programs meet the federal Perkins Act definition of career and technical education.

• Non-Chapter 74 career and technical education programs are programs that meet the federal Perkins Act definition of career and technical education but are not Chapter 74-approved vocational technical education programs.

• Career/vocational technical education programs is the term used to denote Chapter 74-approved vocational technical education programs and non-Chapter 74 career and technical education programs.