Quick Links

 DESE Non-Resident Chapter 74 Tuition Application and Instructions (download)

‘25-’26 Vocational/Technical Pathway Application

Watertown Vocational Educational Presentation

Translatable Vocational Education Presentation Link

CTE: What Families and Students Need to Know

School Finder Help Line

Career, Vocational and Technical Education at Watertown High School

These programs give students meaningful, challenging educational experiences to gain the knowledge, skills, competencies, and self-esteem to be successful in today’s fast-changing society. Students participate in authentic, challenging projects that involve collaboration, technology, creativity, critical thinking, high-level communication, and other career-specific skills.

WHS offers two ways to experience Career and Technical Education:

              1.)   Vocational/Technical dedicated pathways (also referred to as Chapter 74 Programs) 

OR

2.)  Electives in a traditional high school schedule (WHS Program of Studies)

Vocational/Technical Dedicated Pathways (open to Sophomores)

• Engineering Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Digital Media Communications

Entrance into a Vocational/Technical Pathway is a three-year commitment that will provide the student with an endorsement on their high school transcript. Each will be run with a limited number of seats. Students begin a Vocational/Technical Pathway in their sophomore year with specified coursework in each of the last three years of high school that results in a reduction of the number of elective slots in their schedule. Massachusetts four-year state colleges and universities waive the two-year foreign language entrance requirement for Vocational/Technical students.

Vocational/Technical (Chapter 74) Programs

Chapter 74-approved vocational technical education programs are programs that meet the definition of vocational technical education contained in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 74. Districts apply for program approval to DESE’s Office for College, Career, and Technical Education (OCCTE) pursuant to Chapter 74 and the Vocational Technical Education regulations. Note that all Chapter 74-approved vocational technical education programs meet the Perkins Act definition of career and technical education. Chapter 74 programs are considered by the department to be high quality college and career pathways.  

Any current WHS freshman who is interested in this three-year program commitment that begins in sophomore year should complete the ‘25-’26 Vocational/Technical Pathway Application.  Contact information for a parent or guardian is required so that they can be contacted. 

The student capacity per class per year of these programs is listed below:

Engineering Technology -- 20 students
Medical Assisting -- 15 students
Digital Media Communication -- 15 students         

Admissions Policy and Frameworks

In the event that more sophomores apply than are able to be accommodated in a given program, students will be selected randomly using a lottery and a waiting list will be created.  If there is space in another program, students will be offered the option to enroll there.

A non-resident student must submit the DESE Non-Resident Chapter 74 Tuition Application and Instructions.

The curriculum for the V/T Engineering Technology program is aligned with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Vocational Technical Education Framework for Engineering Technology in the Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Services Occupational Cluster.

The curriculum for the V/T Medical Assisting program is aligned with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Vocational Technical Education Framework for Medical Assisting in the Health Services Occupational Cluster.

The curriculum for the V/T Digital Media Communications program is aligned with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Vocational Technical Education Framework for Radio and Television Broadcasting in the Arts and Communication Services Occupational Cluster.