The Massachusetts Vocational-Technical Coalition urges Commonwealth leadership to acknowledge and act upon the critical need for a comprehensive plan to strengthen and expand Massachusetts' regional Vocational-Technical and Agricultural schools. Our core vision prioritizes the retention of local control over admissions policies, ensuring that each regional school committee and their legally binding regional agreements maintain autonomy. We have demonstrated proven success under this model and oppose the Board of Education’s March 10 2025 proposed amendments.

Our approach safeguards the unique needs and priorities of individual communities. Furthermore, our vision calls for a significant and long-overdue expansion of the system to align the graduating workforce with the growth and demand driven by planned infrastructure, agricultural security, energy initiatives, and healthcare service needs.

We aim to achieve this through leveraging the legislative efforts of Representatives Frank Moran, Adam Scanlon, Kathleen R. LaNatra and Senators Paul Feeney, Michael D. Brady and Jacob R. Oliveira as proposed in their bills during the 194th legislative session.

An Act establishing a vocational admissions task force
An Act to preserve local control of Chapter 74 admissions policies
An Act to improve access, opportunity, and capacity in Massachusetts vocational-technical education
An Act relative to a regional school assessment reserve fund

Recognizing that the vocational-technical system has not seen a major expansion or investment since its establishment over 50 years ago, this vision seeks to expand the Chapter 74 system to meet the demands of today's workforce, providing greater opportunities for students across the Commonwealth.