Middle School Career Technical Education (CTE) and Innovation Career Pathway (ICP) Exploration Policy
This policy ensures that all grades 7 and 8 students within the Greenfield Public Schools have equitable access to career awareness opportunities, including information and exposure to Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, as well as Innovation Career Pathways (ICP), offered at district, regional, agricultural, and other public high schools. This aligns with state requirements for expanding early access to career pathways and academic planning.
The Greenfield Public Schools is committed to promoting early awareness and informed decision-making for middle school students regarding secondary and postsecondary academic and career opportunities.
Overview of State-Approved CTE Programs (from DESE Website)
Massachusetts Career and Technical Education Programs (CTE) prepare students to graduate with skills and credentials that will provide them with advanced employment opportunities if they enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. These CTE programs also provide students with high-quality learning experiences that enable them to see and understand their future career paths, including continued education. Signature components of these programs include at least 900 hours of immersive learning time, co-operative education in partnership with local employers, and opportunities to earn high-value industry-recognized credentials. The CTE frameworks are developed to guide instruction and support program design that ensures students graduate with the skills and learning experiences that best prepare them in their field.
State-approved CTE programs are designed to ensure that students graduating are both prepared to pursue post-secondary education and are prepared through work-based learning, industry credentials, and technical skill proficiencies to access employment that other graduates are not prepared to enter. CTE receives federal Perkins funding for Career Technical Education. Aligned to both Perkins and MA regulations, programs have targets related to student graduation rate, skill achievement (academic and technical), work-based learning experiences, and post-graduation placement.
Massachusetts currently recognizes 44 program areas in 11 Career clusters.
Overview of Innovation Career Pathways (from DESE Website)
Innovation Career Pathways are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
Innovation Career Pathways are designed to create strong partnerships with employers in order to expose students to career options and help them develop knowledge and skills related to their chosen field of study before they graduate high school.
Access to Information
By October 15 of each school year, the district will ensure the following:
- CTE schools and programs will be provided opportunities to distribute materials and present to students on-site at district middle schools. This will happen for ICPs as well, but may look different because ICPs are offered through the Greenfield Public Schools.
- Information about CTE opportunities will be distributed through postal mail, email, and posted on the district website.
Tour Transportation and Attendance
- Middle and High School students shall be permitted to participate in daytime tours of CTE schools and programs.
- Confirmed participation in these tours will be considered excused absences.
- The Middle and High Schools will not prevent student participation in approved daytime tours of CTE programs or schools.
- Transportation for tours will be provided and funded by the hosting CTE school or program.
Coordinated Planning and Collaboration
The Greenfield Public Schools, through its Middle School, shall collaborate with member CTE/vocational schools to inform students about the CTE/vocational opportunities available to them. This will include:
- A CTE Liaison to coordinate with local, regional, agricultural, and other public high schools offering CTE programs.
- Maintain an up-to-date calendar of CTE outreach events and share with students and families.
- Information sharing–Annually, Greenfield Public Schools will provide member CTE/vocational schools with the names, addresses, and guardian email addresses of all enrolled seventh and eighth-grade students, upon request.
Access to CTE Schools, Programs, Tours, and Innovation Career Pathways
- The Greenfield Public Schools will ensure every student in grades 7 and 8 will have an opportunity to attend an assembly at Greenfield Middle School, hosted by representatives from Franklin County Technical School, or another local or regional CTE school
- GPS administration will collaborate with Franklin County Technical School, and/or other local or regional CTE schools to ensure all students have at least one opportunity to visit CTE programs during school hours at least once during Middle School. These tours will be scheduled during the school day and will not be recorded as an absence.
- Transportation expenses for the grade 8 visit will be covered by the hosting CTE school or program. Students who arrange their own visit will have to arrange for their own transportation.
- Greenfield Middle and High Schools will share information about Franklin County Technical School’s Open House and informational events through regular communication channels, such as the school website, newsletters, email, social media, etc.
- Greenfield Middle and High Schools will provide opportunities for Franklin County Technical School, or other local or regional CTE schools, to schedule in-person interviews with applicants during the school day, with the permission of a parent/guardian.
- Greenfield Middle and High Schools will provide relevant information to member vocational schools for students who have applied. This may include documentation of student interest, attendance records, and discipline records in accordance with the vocational school’s approved admissions policy and DESE guidance.
- Students in grade 8 will have multiple opportunities to learn about and explore ICPs offered in the Greenfield Public Schools. This will include, but is not limited to, student panels, opportunities to explore pathways (including how to use equipment), and presentations by staff related to different pathways.
Integration into Academic and Career Planning
- CTE and ICP exposure will be embedded in the district’s academic/career planning process beginning no later than Grade 7.
- School counselors will guide students in reflecting on CTE and ICP experiences and integrating CTE and/or ICP options into their academic and postsecondary plans.
- Exploration activities (e.g., interest inventories, pathway research, portfolio creation) will be documented in each student’s academic file.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Collaboration Records
- Greenfield Middle and High Schools will maintain accurate records of all on-site presentations, assemblies, and student tours to Career and Technical Education (CTE) schools.
- Greenfield Middle and High Schools will document other relevant activities and information regarding collaboration between the district and member CTE/vocational schools.
Records will be securely stored and updated annually. - Upon request, the district will make these records available to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for review.
Greenfield School Committee: Approved October 8, 2025; update approved December 10, 2025