Worcester Public Schools has released the updated schedule of high school open houses for eighth-grade students and their families. The schedule includes all remaining open-house events, including both general open houses and open houses for specific programs.
Career Technical Education (CTE) Admissions
Beginning in November, Worcester Public Schools will launch the admissions process for Career Technical Education (CTE) programs for students entering ninth grade in the 2026-27 school year.
Applications will be accepted from November 1, 2025, through February 13, 2026. There is no advantage to submitting early, and all applications received by the deadline are considered equally. Students are selected through a randomized lottery process in March, in accordance with state law.
Before applying, families are encouraged to meet with their middle school guidance counselor and attend open houses for programs of interest. These steps help ensure students have the information they need to make the best choice.
8th Grade High School Open House Schedule for 2026–27 Admissions:
Doherty Memorial High School
CTE Open House: Thursday, November 13, 6:30–8:00 PM
North High School
Combined General & CTE Open House: Tuesday, November 18, 5:00–6:00 PM
South High Community School
CTE Open House: Wednesday, November 19, 5:30-7:00 PM
Goddard Scholars Open House: Tuesday, December 9, 6:00-7:00 PM
Burncoat High School
General Open House: Thursday, November 20, 6:00 PM (Includes Hanover Academy of the Arts Open House)
Worcester Technical High School
CTE Open House: Thursday, December 11, 6:00–8:00 PM
Please note that Worcester Technical High School is a full-scale CTE school with 23 CTE programs. Ninth-grade students complete an exploratory process once admitted to determine which career major they will pursue.
Burncoat, Doherty, North, and South High Schools
Doherty, North, and South high schools are comprehensive high schools with a smaller number of CTE programs. If a student is accepted into a CTE program, they are also accepted into the school.
Additionally, South High Community School also hosts Goddard Scholars Academy and Doherty Memorial High School also hosts Advanced Science Academy, which are academic admissions-based acceleration programs.
Burncoat High School is a comprehensive high school and hosts two specialized programs: the Hanover Academy of the Arts and the Performing, Visual & Media Arts Magnet for students interested in creative arts.
If you reside in Main South, please visit the High School Options for Main South page for clarification about your options.
Applications can be submitted at wps.Go2CTE.com. We look forward to seeing you soon at our open houses!