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Dauphin County Technical School

Applications are now CLOSED for the 2024-2025 school year.

Please note that Steelton-Highspire School District is not currently a member school of DCTS, therefore applicants from our district are considered "Non-Resident Students".

  • Nonresident Students: Students who reside outside of the member school district areas will be considered for enrollment only in the event that all waiting lists of students that meet the established cut score from member school districts are exhausted.[12]

Dauphin County Technical School is a full-time, comprehensive public career and technical high school serving Central Dauphin, Derry Township, Halifax Area, Harrisburg, Lower Dauphin, Middletown Area, and Susquehanna Township School Districts. Students from other school districts may attend on a tuition basis.  At DCTech, they believe in educating the whole student by focusing on both the student's academic and career preparation. The mission of the Dauphin County Technical School is to prepare students to enter post-secondary education and industry with the attitude, skills, and knowledge necessary to be successful in a constantly changing and competitive world.  

For additional information, please visit their website at: https://dcts.org/

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • To begin the admission process, school districts will be informed when the new student application is available on our school website. The completed Application for Admission must be returned to the DCTS Principal’s office by the predetermined deadline in order for the student’s application to be scored.
  • Each applicant can achieve a possible 100 total points on a scoring rubric. All applicants residing within the member school districts will be ranked from high to low points. By the end of the school year, the DCTS Principal’s office will select the highest- ranking applicants, based on an established cut score, until all vacant slots are filled from the member school districts.
  • During the application process, students, or their school representative, will have the opportunity to write a statement in their application for the application review committee to consider that astudent has had a personal hardship that may affect their final rubric score. The administration should ensure that the application provides a section for the student or sending school counselor to provide the information that is relevant regarding the student’s academic or personal background.
  • Students that do not meet the admissions requirements and score below the cut score will not be accepted.

QUALIFICATIONSDauphin County Technical School has established eligibility criteria to beused in processing student applications as follows:

1. STUDENT INTEREST (10% of application evaluation rubric):

  • An applicant must write about their educational interests and goals, and how DCTS can help them reach those goals.

2. TEACHER RECOMMENDATION/BEHAVIORS (25% of application evaluation rubric):

  • Due to the nature of a career and technical school, students must be responsible to handle equipment, and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Personal safety and the safetyof others are of paramount importance. Students must be able to focus on skill completion, be self-reliant, and possess a good work ethic.
  • An applicant must submit: (a) one (1) overall team recommendation, if s/he is enrolled in 8th grade; or (b) two (2) core subject teacher recommendations, if s/he is enrolled in 9th through 11th grade. A student’s overall behavior record at his/her sending school will be reviewed. Discipline issues related to safety, acts of violence, and drugs or alcohol will be scrutinized.

3. GRADES (30% of application evaluation rubric):

  • An applicant’s grade transcript/report cards will be reviewed and evaluated. Each letter grade earned in a core subject (e.g. English, Math, Science and Social Studies) will be assigned a point value.

4. ATTENDANCE/TARDIES (35% of application evaluation rubric):

  • All absences and tardies will be considered when reviewing a student’s application.
  • Nonresident Students: Students who reside outside of the member school district areas will be considered for enrollment only in the event that all waiting lists of students that meet the established cut score from member school districts are exhausted.[12]
  • Transfer Students: Students moving into Dauphin County that wish to attend DCTS must enroll in their sending school district and follow the application process. We do no accept direct transfer students.
  • Nonpublic School Students: Students enrolled in charter schools, cyber charter schools, and private schools are eligible to apply to DCTS. Applications must be requested from the school districts in which these students reside. Completed applications must be submitted through the school district of residence. Parents/Guardians should contact their resident school district’s school counselor to discuss registration procedures. Students enrolled in charter schools and cyber charter schools may enroll in DCTS only if the charter or cyber charter school, in which the student is enrolled, contracts with DCTS for the provision of Career Technical Education.Nonpublic school students will be considered for enrollment only in the event that all waiting lists of students that meet the established cut score from member school districts are exhausted.
  • Ninth Grade Students: All 9th grade students will participate in a career exploratory program. Upon completion of the career exploratory program, 9th grade students will choose a first, second, and third choice Program of Study and will be enrolled in the Program of Study in which they have been accepted. All 9th grade students are enrolled at DCTS on a full-time basis.
  • Tenth Grade Students: New 10th grade students applying to DCTS will choose a specific CTE Program of Study in which to enroll, if space is available. New 10th grade students may enroll in a CTE program of study only or on a full-time basis.
  • Eleventh Grade Students: New 11th grade students applying to DCTS will choose a specific CTE Program of Study in which to enroll, if space is available. New 11th grade students may enroll in a CTE program of study only or on a full-time basis.
  • Twelfth Grade Students: New 12th grade students applying to DCTS will choose a specific CTE Program of Study in which to enroll, if space is available. New 12th grade students may enroll ina CTE program of study only or on a full-time basis.

EXCEPTIONS TO POLICY:

  • Any exception to this policy may be appealed, in writing, from the sending school administration to the Dauphin County Technical School Administrative Director on behalf of the applicant.
  • Questions regarding this application process may be referred to the Principal of the Dauphin County Technical School, 6001 Locust Lane, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109. Telephone: (717)652-3170.
  • For information regarding civil rights or grievance procedures, contact our Title IX Coordinator, orSection 504 Coordinator at 6001 Locust Lane, Harrisburg, PA 17109 (717) 652-3170. For information regarding services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable by handicapped individuals and groups, please contact the DCTS Administrative Director.