BOSTON – A new poll commissioned by Pioneer Institute finds that an overwhelming 90 percent of Hampden County residents support expanding county students’ access to vocational-technical high schools.
“Vocational-technical high schools are a bright spot amid an extended period of declining performance for Massachusetts public schools,” said Director of Pioneer Education Jamie Gass. “This poll demonstrates Western Massachusetts residents know that and want more access to them.”
Initially, 88.2 percent of respondents supported expanding Massachusetts students’ access to vocational technical education. When informed that the shortage is particularly severe outside the Boston and Worcester areas, 88.7 percent specifically supported increasing access for Hampden County students.
After being informed that voc-tech graduates tend to earn more than their comprehensive high school counterparts in the 10 years after graduation and that vocational-technical high schools have significantly lower dropout rates even as they educate a significantly higher percentage of students with special needs, support for expanding Hampden County students’ access to voc-tech high schools rose to 90 percent.
Over three quarters of respondents supported requiring public middle schools to give vocational-technical high schools access to their students for outreach programs such as information sessions, tours and camps. Some middle schools currently decline to allow voc-tech schools to interact with their 7th and 8th graders.
About a third of poll respondents were from the City of Springfield and the rest from surrounding Hampden County towns.
“Voc-tech schools are building a workforce equipped for durable, high-skill careers—many of which are less exposed to AI disruption,” said Jim Stergios, Executive Director of Pioneer Institute. “Every student should have a fair shot at that future.”
The survey of 665 residents was conducted by Opinion Diagnostics from February 24-27, 2026. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percent with 95 percent confidence.
