BVT Exemplifies Excellence of Mass Voc-Tech Schools

By Angie Fitton

In the state of Massachusetts, long ago dubbed the “grandfather of vocational education,” there are 90 school districts that offer vocational options alongside traditional schooling. These vocational schools, as mentioned in the book Hands-On Achievement with research conducted by the Pioneer Institute, have higher than average graduation rates and scores on

the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests. Massachusetts voc-tech schools have high standards for educators. In order to teach in one of these vocational schools, you must have licensing from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). You will need to hold an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree in teaching and have state academic licenses in your field. You must have 3-5 years experience in your field, pass Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) or Literary Skills testing and have 18 college credits in vocational education courses approved by the state. Some fields also require state, federal or industry-issued licenses and certifications.

Unlike in the past, many vocational schools now offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Students who get into their regional or district vocational school do not have to choose between voc-tech education and sports or advanced curriculums, as these schools now offer sports electives. Students are also allowed and encouraged to work in real-life settings. For instance, many of these schools allow members of the community to utilize their services. A popular example is folks using a vocational school’s auto shop, where they pay only for materials, not labor.

Vocational schools are responsible for equipping shops, on top of everyday academics. For this reason, their expenditures per student average $22,427, whereas non-vocational expenditures average $17,058. More than half of all MA vocational students make the decision to go on to postsecondary education, attending colleges and universities both in and out of state. Also, to add to the importance of vocational schooling, every MA voc-tech school has an advisory council of 10-15 members of the community. Their job is to make sure state-of-the-art programs are available, and they also assist the Superintendent. Voc-tech can be the best option for students who deal better with hands-on learning.

Among these vocational schools is the exemplary Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT), whose Superintendent is Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, a nationally recognized expert in career voc-tech education. He has been in the teaching field for 50 years and a Superintendent for 30. This makes it no surprise that BVT is the first vocational school to have multiple years where 100% of students passed MCAS to graduate. According to Dr. Fitzpatrick, when the Massachusetts Education Reform Act introduced MCAS in 1993, voc-tech students were going to be exempt, indicating they couldn’t pass the test, which is a requirement to be a graduate of high school. The doctor states, “I’m glad we were right in believing in the students. Their scores were far better than people expected.” 

Along with great test scores, for years, BVT has also had zero dropouts. “Vibrant teaching encourages record attendance,” Fitzpatrick emphasizes.

Students at BVT take part in countless community projects that they can then add to their electronic portfolios, which they then show on college applications. Named after the Mascot, which is a beaver, the school is home to “Sporty’s Closet,” a place for families in need to receive clothing and goods. According to Fitzpatrick, the students are great about bringing in donations. When they had a new facility built, BVT used their own students for electrical, plumbing,

carpentry, metal fabrication, painting and HVAC. These students worked alongside subcontractors. To this day, the students help with on-campus improvements. “We are constantly in the process of renovating and improving the school environment,” states Fitzpatrick.

At BVT you’re able to dine in the student restaurant, but by reservation only. “We want to be

sensitive to area restaurants and not compete with them.” Fitzpatrick shared that the school has three chefs and a baker in the day teaching program.

BVT has 13 municipalities, serving middle class towns. The towns who are in attendance are Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton and Uxbridge. The address is 65 Pleasant St in Upton, and their graduation rate is 98.2%, whereas the state graduation rate is 83.4%. BVT also has the longest school year; 193 student contact days. This was implemented at a gradual rate over the years and has proven to be successful. Even with this longer year, attendance rates are significantly higher than other schools, translating to lower dropout rates.

“Any success we accomplish is a team effort. We are in a culture of commitment to the capability of the students.” Dr. Fitzpatrick also said that the students with whom he’d spoken before the school year were excited about starting. One student’s father even laughed about his son being ready to “run to the bus stop.”