Chapter 74 Admission Application Form
| To: | Superintendents, Principals in Vocational Technical School Districts and Career and Technical Education Directors in Comprehensive High Schools |
| From: | Jeffrey Wheeler, State Director of Career and Technical Education |
| Date: | November 17, 2004 |
Purpose:
The purpose of this memo is to provide guidance to school districts with Chapter 74-approved vocational technical education programs on the admission application form used for admission to the school, and to request that districts provide me with a copy of the admission application form that is planned for use by the district for the 2005-2006 school year. The admission application form will be reviewed for compliance with the Vocational Technical Education Regulations 603 CMR 4.03 (6) and the associated "Guidelines for Admission Policies of Vocational Technical Secondary Schools and Comprehensive Secondary Schools". Note that the guidelines are contained in the Chapter 74 Manual for Vocational Technical Education Admission Policies. The regulations and manual are available at www.doe.mass.edu/cte/.
Background:
As you are aware, admission policies were submitted to me for review and approval. However, review of the admission application form was not accomplished as part of the admission policy review. A recent informal review of admission application forms demonstrated to me that guidance on this matter must be provided to districts and that the application forms must be reviewed for compliance by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff.
Guidance:
The admission application form shall not include information that is not directly pertinent to being admitted to the school. Note that the Vocational Technical Education Regulations give the admission criteria that shall be used and they are academic grades, attendance record, discipline/conduct record, recommendation from sending-school personnel, and may include a student interview. The admission application form shall not request information that does not address the criteria in the regulations*, unless the requested information is voluntarily submitted for equal educational opportunity monitoring, or requesting accommodations in the case of disability, or interpretive services in the case of English language learner status. Such information requests should be in a section titled "Voluntary Equal Educational Opportunity Information". Please refer to the attached sample Admission Application Form. The form is also contained in the Chapter 74 Manual for Vocational Technical Education Admission Policies. The sample contains appropriate language.
*For example test results (including MCAS), Individualized Education Programs (I.E.P.), are not
admission criteria per the Vocational Technical Education Regulations, so therefore, they shall
not be requested on the admission application form. The district would acquire test results and
I.E.P. information after the applicant/parent/guardian was formally notified of admission.
Submission Information:
By December 31, 2004, please send the admission application form that is planned for use by the district for the 2005-2006 school year to Ms. Ramona Foster, Career and Technical Education Unit, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 01248. If you have any questions please contact Ms. Foster at 781-338-3945 or Rfoster@doe.mass.edu.
last updated: November 23, 2004
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