B.M.C. Durfee High School Career & Technical Education Policy 2026-2027

I. INTRODUCTION
An admission process is necessary in vocational technical programs where space is a limiting An admission process is necessary in vocational technical programs where space is a limiting factor. Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs are designed and equipped to serve a specific maximum number of students safely. The "Durfee Discovery" exploratory program, which introduces incoming Grade 9 students to all Chapter 74-approved CTE programs, has a capacity of 360 students. If the number of applicants exceeds 360, a public lottery will be used to determine admission.

All students residing in Fall River who are entering Grade 9 are eligible to apply for Durfee Discovery. This policy applies to Grade 9 applicants for the Durfee Discovery Exploratory Program as well as upper-grade students seeking admission to a CTE program.

II. EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Fall River Public School admits students and makes available to them it’s advantages, privileges, and course of study without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, homelessness, genetic information, ancestry, status as a veteran or U.S. military service member, disability, or age in admission to, treatment in, or employment in its services, programs, and activities.  If there is a student with limited English proficiency, a qualified representative from Fall River Public Schools will assist the applicant in completing the necessary forms and assist in interpreting during the entire application and admission process upon the request of the applicant. Students with disabilities may voluntarily self-identify for the purpose of requesting reasonable accommodations during the entire application and admission process. Information on limited English proficiency and disability submitted voluntarily by the applicant, for the purpose of receiving assistance and accommodations during the entire application and admission process, will not affect his or her admission to the Career & Technical Education Exploratory Program “Durfee Discovery” at B.M.C. Durfee  High School. 

III.   ELIGIBILITY

Any eighth, ninth, tenth or eleventh grade student who expects to be promoted to the grade they seek to enter by their current school and who resides in Fall River is eligible to apply for fall admission or admission during the school year subject to the availability of openings in the Career & Technical Education Exploratory Program “Durfee Discovery” at B.M.C. Durfee High School.

A. Home School

Students who are formally being home-schooled may apply for admission to the Career & Technical Education, provided all admission policy criteria are followed. The home-schooled student's parent(s)/guardian(s) must submit a copy of the Home School Approval Letter from the local school superintendent. Home schooled students will be accepted to the CTE program according to the selection criteria contained in this admission policy. Please refer to Section VI. Application Process for additional information regarding selection criteria.

B. Homeless

Students who are homeless may be accepted to The Career & Technical Education Program  according to the selection criteria contained in this admission policy.

C. Transfer Students

Transfer students from other Chapter 74 State approved Career & Technical Education programs and now reside in Fall River are eligible to apply for fall admission or admission during the school year to grades 9-12 provided they expect to be promoted to the grade they seek to enter by their current school. Transfer student’s applications will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this Admission Policy. 

IV.  ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Fall River district contains seven middle schools, Edmund P. Talbot Middle School, James Madison Morton Middle School, Matthew J. Kuss Middle School, John J. Doran Community School, Stone K-12 School, R.L.M.Resilience Preparatory Academy, and Henry Lord Community School.  All students from these schools are eligible to apply for enrollment in the Career & Technical Education programs at B.M.C. Durfee High School.  Students who live in Fall River and attend private or charter schools are also eligible to apply for admission.  

The Career & Technical Education Department is housed within B.M.C. Durfee High School, which is a fully comprehensive vocational-technical/academic high school in the City of Fall River.  B.M.C. Durfee High School operates nine Chapter 74 approved Vocational Technical Education Programs with an Exploratory Program. B.M.C. Durfee High School and its Career & Technical Programs are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

The Director of College, Career & Technical Education is responsible for the management of the program, as well as the administration of the policies and procedures set forth in this admissions policy. She reports directly to the Principal of B.M.C Durfee High School. She is responsible for disseminating information about Career & Technical Education through local school assemblies and press releases, and for collecting applications from the local schools.

B.M.C. Durfee Career & Technical Program has an admissions committee appointed by the College, Career & Technical Education Director, which includes herself, the specific CTE Program Counselors, Director of Guidance and an Assistant/Associate Principal. Responsibilities of the admissions committee include:

V. RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The district will provide published information on the Chapter 74 Career & Technical Education programs available at B.M.C. Durfee High School.

The Director of Career & Technical Education is responsible for disseminating information about the technical education program through a variety of methods.

B. Current School Year Admissions - All Grades  

Students interested in applying to the Career & Technical Education Program at B.M.C. Durfee for admission during the current school year must obtain an Admissions Application from their School Counselor or from the Career & Technical Education Office and return the completed application form (signed by a parent or guardian) to their current School Counselor.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the signed application is returned to his/her current School Counselor so that it and the Student Rating Sheet can be forwarded to the Career & Technical Education Office in a timely manner. It is the responsibility of the student’s School Counselor to complete the Student Rating Sheet and forward it and the completed application package to the Career & Technical Education Office. The application package must include the completed application form (including required signatures), a copy of the student’s transcript showing grades earned in English language arts, or its equivalent, social studies, math, and science from previous school year(s), and either the most recent report card or a form indicating grades-to-date of application, and the Student Rating Sheet. The Student Rating Sheet must include the suspension record from the previous school year(s)  and from the current year to the date of the application, and/or the recommendation of the current School Counselor.  

If an incomplete application is received, the Career & Technical Education Office will inform the School Counselor responsible for submitting the application which items are missing. The applicant's parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified in the event that the problem is not resolved by the local school School Counselor.  If the application package remains incomplete for ten school days thereafter, the application will be voided. 

C. Home School  

Students who are formally being home schooled may apply for admission to B.M.C. Durfee  High School, including admission during the school year, provided all Admissions Policy criteria are followed. The Home School student's parent(s)/guardian(s) must submit a copy of the Home  School approval letter from the local school superintendent, and if grades are not available, a representative sample or portfolio of the student's body of work in English language arts or its equivalent, math, science, and social studies. Home-schooled students will be ranked on their portfolio/grades (50%) and recommendation (50%). 

D. Late Applications

Applications received after the deadline (as noted on the application) will be evaluated using the same criteria as other applications ,and their composite score will be integrated in rank order on the established waiting list. 

E. Transfer Students

Applications from students who are enrolled in a state-approved (Chapter 74) vocational technical high school program in another school (transfer students) will be considered for admission (including admission during the school year) if they relocate away from their current school and wish to pursue the same program of study at B.M.C. Durfee High School.  Their applications will be evaluated according to the provisions of this Admissions Policy.

F.  Withdrawn Students

Students who withdraw from B.M.C. Durfee High School’s Career & Technical Education Program and who are attending or not attending another high school may reapply to Career & Technical Education following the procedures contained in this admission policy and will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this admissions policy.

VII.  SELECTION CRITERIA

A. Fall Admission – All 8th grade students who reside in Fall River may apply to the Durfee Discovery Exploratory Program. Students must complete an application and submit it to their middle school counselor by the published deadline.

If fewer than 360 eligible applications are received, all students will be accepted into the exploratory program. If more than 360 eligible applications are received, a public lottery will be held to determine which students are admitted. If the number of eligible applications is 360 or fewer, all applicants will be accepted into the Durfee Discovery program and no lottery will be conducted.

The lottery will:

The first 360 students drawn will be offered placement in Durfee Discovery. All remaining applicants will be placed on a waitlist in the order drawn.

All accepted students must complete a course selection sheet signed by a parent/guardian and school counselor.

B. LOTTERY PROCEDURES If the number of eligible Grade 9 applicants exceeds the capacity of the Durfee Discovery Exploratory Program (360 students), a public lottery will be conducted using the procedures outlined below: 

1. Eligibility Confirmation

2. Preparation of Entries

3. Drawing Format

4. Public Event

5. Notification

○ All applicants are notified in writing of their status (admitted or waitlisted) within five school days.

6. Maintaining the Waitlist

VIII. SELECTION PROCESS

The Career & Technical Education Admissions Committee considers academic achievement, attendance, school behavior, and recommendation from the student’s current School Counselor.  Applications are reviewed, processed, and assigned points by grade level. After a point total for  each resident applicant has been determined, all resident applicants are ranked ordered by their  “point total.”  Resident applicants are then accepted in order of the point total they have achieved.

The resident applicant with the highest point total is accepted first, the resident the applicant with the second highest point total is accepted second, and so on until all seats are filled. All resident applicants are accepted, declined, or placed on a waiting list.  

If openings occur, the seats are filled by accepting resident applicants from the waiting list.   

These resident applicants, like those accepted earlier, are accepted in order of their place on the waiting list determined by the total points given according to the selection criteria.  Applications received after the application deadline (noted on the application) will be evaluated using the above criteria and their composite scores will be rank ordered at the end of the established waiting list. 

IX. ENROLLMENT

In order to enroll in the B.M.C. Durfee High School’s Career & Technical Education Program for the fall, applicants must have been promoted to the grade they wish to enter by their current school. In addition, they must have passing grades in English language arts or the equivalent and mathematics for the school year immediately preceding their enrollment in Career & Technical Education.   

X. COLLEGE, CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM PLACEMENT

All ninth graders who enroll in the Career & Technical Education Program at B.M.C. Durfee  High School participates in the Exploratory Program “Durfee Discovery” designed to help them learn about their talents and interests relative to a variety of CTE programs.  Students initially explore each CTE program for approximately 7 days for each program rotation. Students are evaluated and graded by each CTE Program teacher during Exploratory “Durfee Discovery” using a common comprehensive grading rubric.  At the end of the fourth marking term, each student can select his/her program of choice, as well as a second and third choice for the following school year and continues exploring through Durfee Discovery until the last day of the school year. If the number of students seeking a placement into a particular program for the following school year exceeds the number of openings, the grades received by all students considering that program will be ranked to determine who is placed in that CTE Program. If a program is filled and a student does not get his/her/their first,second or third choice, the School Counselor/CTE Director’s Office and student will meet to assign the student to his/her/their CTE Program, pending space availability.

Students who enroll in the Career & Technical Education Program after grade nine do not participate in a formal exploratory program but they may “shadow” one or more programs for one day, if they so desire, before making a program selection.  If the number of enrollees seeking a particular program exceeds the number of openings, the selection criteria used for admission to the program as described above will be used to rank order the students.  

Students who wish to transfer from one program to another during the school year may apply for transfer. Transfer requests will be considered subject to the availability of openings in the requested programs.  Each transfer applicant will be interviewed and counseled individually to determine the appropriateness of the transfer for the particular student. 

XI.  REVIEW 

The applicant’s parent/guardian, upon receipt of a letter from the College, Career & Technical  Education Director indicating that the applicant was not accepted for admission into the College,  Career & Technical Education Program and/or placed on a waiting list, may request a review of the decision by sending a letter requesting such a review to the applicants’ current Building  Principal within ten days of the receipt of the school’s letter. The Building Principal will conduct a review of the applicant’s records. She may also request a parent/student conference.  The Building Principal will respond in writing with the results of the review within ten days of  the initial request for review.  

If after the review, the parent/guardian wishes to appeal the findings of the review, they may do so by sending a letter requesting such an appeal to the Superintendent of Schools. The Superintendent will respond in writing within ten days of the receipt of the letter to the parent/guardian with a scheduled date for an appeal hearing. The Superintendent will respond in writing with her decision on the appeal within ten days of the appeal hearing. The Fall River Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed,  national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, homelessness, genetic information,  ancestry, status as a veteran or U.S. uniformed military service member, disability, or age in admission to, treatment in, or employment in its services, programs and activities.