Subcommittee backs referral of middle-school CTE exploration policy; administration favors straight lottery for ninth-grade exploratory

Fall River Citys Instructional Subcommittee discussed two related CTE items on Wednesday: a detailed middle-school CTE exploration policy required by new state law (chapter 74/2025) and the districts approach to CTE admissions.

Staff explained that the 2025 state change requires districts to provide structured career exploration for grades six through eight and to document career plans through a digital portfolio (MindTap). The administration described multiple elements of the proposed middle-school policy: counselor-led career lessons two to four times per year in grades 6–8, an eighth-grade field trip to Durfee to view CTE programs and other high-school opportunities, summer enrichment camps, and pre-CTE course offerings in some middle schools (examples cited: construction, culinary, criminal…