Whittier Tech committee votes to phase out or reduce several CTE shops after public outcry

Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School’s committee voted Feb. 12 to accept most of Superintendent Marin Lynch’s recommendations to reduce or phase out several career and technical education (CTE) shops, following more than an hour of public comment from students, alumni and staff.

The committee approved a phased closure of Early Education & Care and a plan to reduce Design & Visual Communications to a one‑instructor program before phasing it out; it also voted to close the newly introduced Construction Craft Labor (CCL) program. A separate motion to accept the superintendent’s recommendation on the engineering program failed, and masonry was removed from the closure list earlier in the discussion.

Why it matters: supporters of the shops said the programs provide career certificates, co-op placements and workforce pipelines for local employers, while administrators said the decision was driven by sustained low student interest. The superintendent emphasized that decisions were based on historical and current enrollment and a need to allocate limited staff and budget where most students choose to study.

Dozens of public commenters urged the committee to keep the programs. ‘‘If there wasn’t the opportunity to take Early Education and Care I would have switched schools,’’ said Morgan Kelly, a Whittier Tech student in the Early Education program, noting a petition she organized with about 600 signatures opposing the closure. Katie Stanton, an English teacher and president of the WREA union, read a demand‑to‑bargain letter saying the recommendation affects mandatory subjects of bargaining under MGL Chapter 150E and requesting district documents and a delay in implementation until negotiations occur.

During the board’s review, administrators displayed enrollment slides showing that many of the affected shops had single‑digit first‑choice picks among incoming ninth‑graders. The superintendent told the committee that, across several trade areas, fewer than six freshmen per program had selected the program as a first choice in a midyear survey. The administration also said all students already enrolled in an impacted program would be allowed to complete it and graduate with their trade certificates.

Key votes and outcomes: a motion to accept the superintendent’s recommendation to phase out Early Education & Care carried in a roll‑call vote; a motion to accept the recommendation on Design & Visual Communications likewise passed after discussion of co‑op placement and possible program consolidation; a motion to accept the recommendation on engineering failed in roll call; and a motion to accept the superintendent’s recommendation to close Construction Craft Labor passed. Committee members discussed pursuing an after‑hours or adult (CTI) option for CCL credentialing and exploring whether masonry and construction offerings could be consolidated to keep some pathways available.

Union and community response: the WREA’s letter demanded bargaining and requested copies of the district’s rationale, enrollment figures dating back to the 2017–18 school year, technical program closure plans submitted to DESE and internal communications related to the recommendation. The superintendent acknowledged the request and committee members discussed timelines for negotiations and the practical limits of offering under‑enrolled programs.

What happens next: administrators said they will work with DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) on closure procedures and to ensure current students can complete certificates. Committee members asked administration to explore alternatives such as merging related curriculum into other programs, working with neighboring districts to sustain offerings, and offering some credentials through evening/adult education if feasible. The committee recessed for five minutes after the CCL vote and continued with regular business.

The committee’s recorded roll‑call votes and the superintendent’s presentation of enrollment data were part of the public proceeding; parents, alumni and local employers signaled they may continue advocacy during any bargaining or implementation timeline.