The Vocational Education Justice Coalition is made up of 20 community, union, and civil rights groups, which have worked since 2019 to try to get DESE (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) and the State Board of Education to change the vocational admissions system to a lottery. We have also been working alongside allies in this work beyond the Coalition such as our elected officials Rep. Tony Cabral and Sen. John Cronin who have been advocating through the Gateway Cities Caucus. Other allies include Mayors of cities and towns with New Bedford’s Mayor Jon Mitchell leading the Massachusetts Mayors Association in support from 55 Mayors.

On February 2, 2023, the Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) and the Center of Law and Education filed a federal civil rights complaint on behalf of four students and the Vocational Education Justice Coalition (VEJC), detailing how the State allows career vocational technical education (CVTE) schools and programs to use admissions criteria that unjustifiably excludes students of color, English Language Learners (ELL), and students with disabilities. The four students named in the complaint represent students of color, low income, and students with disabilities in the state who were denied access to vocational educations. The Complaint is being filed to move to an investigation and get DESE to change its policy. To read the complaint in full, click here.

Currently 27 of the 28 vocational schools RANK students applying by Grades, Attendance, Discipline, Guidance Counselor recommendations, and an Interview. This has resulted in significantly LESS Students of Color, English Language Learners, Students with Disabilities, and Low Income students being admitted.

VEJC’S NEXT STEPS: Supporting the legislation filed by Sen. Cronin and Rep. Cabral and seeking to work with Governor Maura Healey and her Administration, particularly Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, to change this discriminatory admission policy.

Click here to read press conference
press release

Click the play button to watch the VEJC Press Conference at the State House on February 2, 2023. The press conference was held to announce the filing and was chaired by Andrea Sheppard Lomba, Executive Director of United Interfaith Action, a VEJC member and an affiliate of MCAN.

Other press conference participants included: Gladys Vega, La Collaborative in person; Josue Castellon, Chelsea student, in person; Max Page, President of MA Teachers Association, in person; Mirian Albert, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, in person; Paul Weckstein, Center for Law and Education, by zoom; Renee Ledbetter, United Interfaith Action, by zoom; Barbara Fields, Black Educators Alliance of Massachusetts, in person; Senator John Cronin (D-Fitchburg), Co-Chair Gateway Cities Caucus, in person; Rep. Tony Cabral (D) New Bedford, Co-Chair Gateway Cities Caucus, in person.