Voc-Tech Schools Rethinking Admissions

Above, Andrew Linkenhoker (LinkedIn image)

In an effort to expand access to a more diverse population of students, nearly 97% of the regional vocational-technical and agricultural high schools in Massachusetts made changes in their admissions policies, practices, or staffing over the past two years. That’s one of the key findings of a survey on admissions practices conducted by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA), a statewide organization that advocates for high-quality career and technical education.

The survey, conducted by MAVA during the month of November, included 29 regional vocational-technical and agricultural high schools. Twenty-eight of these regional schools (96.6%) responded that they had made changes in their admissions policies, modified their admissions practices, or added admissions staff or training during the past two school years.

“What really stands out for me is that our member schools are very committed to improving their admissions procedures,” said Dr. Thomas J. Hickey, Superintendent-Director at South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School in Hanover. “The state wanted our schools to analyze the admissions data, reflect on it, and make changes. And that’s exactly what the survey showed they’re doing.” Dr. Hickey helped design the survey and compiled its results.

In addition to the regional voc-tech schools and agricultural high schools, the MAVA survey included more than two dozen city vocational high schools, comprehensive high schools, and academic high schools with one or more state-approved Chapter 74 vocational-technical programs. Many of those schools also made changes. Of the 29 schools in that group, 13 of them (44.8%) reported making one or more admissions changes during the two admissions cycles surveyed.

In all, 59 schools received the survey.

Considered in the aggregate, 41 of the 58 schools offering state-approved vocational-technical programs and responding to the survey (70.7%) reported they had made changes in admissions policies, practices, or staffing in preparation for the two admissions cycles. For the first year, 63.9% of all schools reported making changes in admissions policies, 47.5% made changes in admissions practices, and 37.7% reported adding admissions-related staff or training. For the second year, 41% of the schools reported making additional changes in policy, 32.8% reported additional changes in admissions practices, and 41% reported additional changes in staffing or training.

In most cases, these were the first significant changes in vocational schools’ admission practices in decades. Previously, vocational school admissions policies closely followed a model policy designed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Under state regulations that were in place for many years, vocational schools were encouraged to use four criteria in making admissions decisions: grades, attendance, discipline, and recommendations from sending school guidance counselors. Schools could also use an optional fifth criteria: a personal interview.

“Our members are clearly taking this issue very seriously,” said Dr. Andrew H. Linkenhoker, MAVA’s current president who serves as the Superintendent of Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton. “We know we have limited seats in vocational and agricultural high schools and there’s a responsibility to make the best use of those limited resources in the fairest way possible for all students.”

In addition to making changes in their schools’ admissions policies, the MAVA survey found that eight schools added staff to conduct additional outreach or provide admissions help to special student population groups such as English language learners, to further address diversity and equity issues in their school, or to analyze admissions data; nine schools reallocated staff to support admissions; 12 schools arranged professional development on new admissions policies or to train admissions staff in conducting unbiased student interviews; and 11 adjusted interview questions, rubrics, or the size and scope of interview teams.