Friends of Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education,
In the event you did not see these in the Boston Globe, below are two brief but supportive letters sent to the editorial board.
We thank Ford Spalding and Steve Sharek for sharing these with us.
Enjoy the sunshine today.
David
In voc-tech, the issue is supply and demand, not admissions
Lottery is not the answer. State must expand vocational education offerings.
The Legislature’s measure to create a lottery system for vocational school admissions is the wrong move (“Lottery system for vocational schools advances,’’ Metro, March 13). Critics and advocates of the proposal can all agree that there is an insufficient number of seats to meet the needs of students seeking vocational education in the Commonwealth. Prerequisites to enter the lottery can ensure that more students from underserved minorities can be admitted. This is a good result. However, this still leaves a significant number of qualified students without a pathway to fulfill their educational and career goals.
I participated in educational quality reviews of Massachusetts school districts (including vocational schools) for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Schools from 2013 to 2020, and our findings consistently revealed that capable students have consistently been denied access to vocational education due to insufficient space. The solution should be not only to modify the demographics of the student body but also to expand the opportunities for vocational education for all students. This can be done by making the commitment to increase the number of vocational schools and expanding the current ones. That way, the Commonwealth can better meet the needs of more students.
Linda L. Greyser, Boston
Would you see a doctor who advanced by luck of the draw?
When looking for a primary care physician, would you favor one from a medical school that accepts students by lottery or one that considers aptitude?
How about choosing a car mechanic?
Let’s set these kids up for success.
Jim Mesthene, Waltham
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira