Admissions and Retention Policy
Franklin County Technical School
Admissions and Retention Policy
2025–2026 School Year
Equal Educational Opportunity
Franklin County Technical School (FCTS) admits students and offers all programs, privileges, and courses of study without discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, or homelessness. If a student’s primary language is not English, FCTS will provide application materials in the home language. Students experiencing homelessness may apply without barriers and may direct any questions to the FCTS McKinney-Vento Liaison at 413-863-9561, ext 123. Students with disabilities may voluntarily disclose their disability status if they wish to request accommodations during the admissions process; such disclosure will not influence admission decisions.
School Overview and Administration
FCTS is a public regional career and technical school located in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. The Superintendent, Richard J. Martin, is responsible for ensuring compliance with Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regulations and all applicable state and federal laws regarding admissions, recruitment, and retention. The school is led by Principal Brian Spadafino, and admissions are overseen by the Director of Student Services/Admissions, John Palumbo.
Eligibility Requirements
FCTS will follow the Franklin County Technical School Regional Agreement by giving priority to students from member towns. The school will not reduce or limit any member town’s entitlement. Non-member students may only be accepted if open spots remain after all eligible member town students have been placed. Resident students are admitted before non-resident applicants, as required by Massachusetts regulations. Non-resident students may apply under the Career Technical Education (CTE) Nonresident Tuition Program, but resident applicants will receive priority. Admission is conditional upon successful completion of the 8th grade and promotion to 9th grade.
Homeschooled students may apply if their local district has approved them for grade 9 entry. Students currently enrolled in another state-approved CTE program may apply as transfer students, and their admission will be considered on a space-available basis. Applicants must submit a completed Residency Affidavit along with proof of residence, such as a utility bill, lease, or tax bill with the application.
Recruitment and Outreach
FCTS ensures equal access to information about its programs by hosting annual open houses and information sessions, visiting sending middle schools to present to 8th-grade students, and providing application materials to guidance counselors in all member towns. School tours are available upon request, and recruitment materials are offered in multiple languages and formats when needed.
Application and Lottery Procedures
The application period opens on October 15, 2025, and closes on January 15, 2026. Franklin County Technical School will utilize a third-party software company, go2cte.com, to implement a non-bias transparency lottery selection process. If the number of applicants does not exceed available seats, all eligible applicants will be admitted. If applications exceed available seats, all applicant names will be entered into an open, unweighted lottery to determine admission. The lottery drawing will take place on February 5, 2026. Notifications of acceptance or waitlist status will be sent by February 10, 2026, and families must respond by February 27, 2026, to accept or decline admission. Any seats that become available after the response deadline will be offered to waitlisted students in the order established by the lottery, beginning on March 2, 2026.
Residency Affidavit and Town Quotas
Parents or guardians must affirm, through the Residency Affidavit, that the student resides in a member town and must provide proof of address. Providing false or misleading information may result in loss of admission or enrollment. Town quotas for incoming classes are determined by the School Committee. According to the Franklin County Technical School Regional Agreement, the number of seats allotted to each town is calculated by dividing the individual town’s grade 9-12 population by the district’s total 9-12 population and multiplying the result by the total capacity for student enrollment at FCTS as voted by the FCTS School Committee. For each incoming class, that figure is divided by four to determine the number of seats available to freshmen. If the freshman class is under enrolled as of January 15, 2026, all students who have entered the lottery prior to the deadline will be admitted to the freshman class and the deadline will be extended to fill the remaining seats by lottery.
Appeals and Retention Standards
Families who wish to appeal an admission decision may submit a written appeal to the Superintendent within ten business days of notification. Once admitted, students are expected to meet FCTS’s academic, technical, and attendance standards. The school provides support services, proactive interventions, and regular family communication to promote student success and retention.
Compliance and Reporting
FCTS maintains records of all applications, admissions, waitlists, and outcomes. Annual admissions data are reported to DESE through the CHAMP system, and the Superintendent certifies compliance with state and federal requirements each year.