Middle School Pathway Awareness

Awareness of pathways and high school options while in middle school enables students and their families to make informed choices about their education. Districts with middle schools that have access to CTE programs through their high schools or through their municipality's membership to a regional CTE district must have and implement a Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy.

Developing a Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy

All districts are encouraged to create robust experiences that support student awareness of their high school options through the adoption of MyCAP. Massachusetts state regulations (603 CMR 4.00) require sending districts to CTE schools and programs to maintain a districtwide Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy that documents how middle school students in the district are made aware of, and gain exposure to, career technical education (CTE) schools and programs available to them in their district, regional, agricultural, and other public high schools.

Guidance for Middle School Pathway Exploration Policies

• Developing Middle School Pathway Exploration Policies: Middle School Student Access to CTE Guidance
• Middle School Pathway Exploration Model Policy Template

Annual Middle School Pathway Exploration Action Items

• Policies: all sending districts will maintain a districtwide Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy that documents how middle school students in the district are made aware of and gain exposure to career technical education schools and programs available to them in their district, regional, agricultural, and other public high schools. Middle School Pathway Exploration Policies must be submitted to the Department by November 1, 2025 and as amended. Policies will be submitted via CHAMP.
• Attestation: Annually, all districts will sign an attestation that the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy is implemented. Attestations will be submitted via CHAMP.
  • Attestation Template: Middle School Pathway Exploration Superintendent Attestation Form
• Availability: Districts will make their Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy available on the district website and provide written copies to students and parents, upon request.

Supporting Documents and Resources for Admissions Policies & Processes

• CTE Admissions Guidance and Resources
• MyCAP: Utilize tools already available through MyCAP to help students plan their high school and career goals.
• CHAMP: If you do not have a CHAMP login, go to CCTE CHAMP Resources & Requests , online at. From this website page click "next," at the bottom, to request access for a new CHAMP account. Please refer to the CHAMP for CCTE Guide in the Technical Assistance form as your initial resource for navigating CHAMP.
• CTE Regulations
• Federal OCR Guidelines for Vocational Education Programs OCR-00004 (See 45 CFR, Part 80, Appendix B, IV, K: Eligibility Based on Evaluation of Each Applicant Under Admissions Criteria)
• 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)

Districts Required to Submit a Policy

Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, all sending districts to CTE schools and programs will maintain a districtwide Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy that documents how middle school students in the district are made aware of and gain exposure to career technical education schools and programs available to them in their district, regional, agricultural, and other public high schools. This list of districts required to maintain and implement a Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy can be found here: Districts for Middle School Pathway Exploration Policies .

Last Updated: August 22, 2025