Madison Park Celebrates Early College Program with Record Number of Students Earning Associate Degree

The RoxMAPP Early College program enables Madison Park students to earn college credits while still in high school, accelerating their path to college and career success.

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School Celebrates Early College Program with Record Number of Students Earning Associate Degree

Boston, MA - June 4, 2025 - Madison Park Technical Vocational High School is proud to announce and celebrate the outstanding achievements of its RoxMAPP Early College students who earned their associate degree from Bunker Hill Community College on Thursday, May 22, 2025.

Throughout the course of the program, these remarkable students demonstrated exceptional commitment to academic excellence while completing rigorous vocational training and college-level coursework simultaneously. Their accomplishments are a testament to the power of determination, focus, and the transformative opportunities made possible through Madison Park's RoxMAPP Early College program.

Please join us in congratulating the following graduates:

Cesar Pena Chicas – Electricity
Abu Sayem – Electricity
Matthias Kebede – Marketing
Beautiful Smith – Auto Technology
Mia Melo – Health Assisting
Kayla Saint Felix – Health Assisting
Naphtkie Desrosiers – Dental Assisting

This brings the total number of RoxMAPP Early College graduates in 2025 to 23, a record-setting achievement for Madison Park and a powerful example of what is possible when students are equipped with the right tools, guidance, and support.

“We are incredibly proud of these students,” said Mr. Paul Neal, Head of School at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School. “Earning a high school diploma and an associate degree at the same time is no small feat. These young scholars have shown what is possible when opportunity meets preparation.”

"The RoxMAPP Early College program at Madison Park is truly transformative,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “It provides students with an invaluable head start on their post-secondary education, equipping them with both academic knowledge and practical career skills. This integrated approach not only reduces the financial burden of college but also ensures our graduates are exceptionally well-prepared for the workforce or continued higher education."

The RoxMAPP Early College program enables Madison Park students to earn college credits while still in high school, accelerating their path to college and career success. This milestone not only reflects their hard work but also the power of partnerships between Boston Public Schools and Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) to expand access and equity in higher education.

“This program is about access, equity, and belief in our students’ potential,” said Taneka DeGrace, Assistant Head of School at Madison Park and RoxMAPP Program Director. “Our RoxMAPP scholars have embraced the challenge, shown resilience, and earned degrees that will shape their future. They are walking proof that early college works and we’re just getting started.”

“It’s an extreme honor to work with Ms. Taneka DeGrace and her RoxMAPP Early College Program at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School to create opportunities for students to earn college-level credits and potentially an associate degree prior to graduating high school,” said Steve Prudent, Director of High School Partnerships & Pathways at BHCC. “The College is excited to welcome another group of Madison Park Early College scholars to BHCC’s community of graduates. Their success speaks volumes about their focus and determination to achieve at a high level.”

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About Madison Park Technical Vocational High School

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School is the only vocational high school in the Boston Public Schools district. It offers students a robust education that integrates academic rigor with technical training, preparing graduates for success in both college and their careers.

About the RoxMAPP Program

Designated as an Early College High School in 2019, RoxMAPP is a partnership between Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (MPTVHS). The program offers students free, BHCC-transferable college courses beginning as early as 9th grade. These classes count toward both high school graduation and college credit, allowing students to earn an Associate's Degree from BHCC by the time they graduate from high school.

How to Apply to Exam Schools

Admissions Process Info Sessions

Students currently in grades 5, 7, or 8 and residing in the City of Boston are eligible to apply to one of our exam schools for September 2026 (Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and O'Bryant School of Math and Science). Please attend our virtual events to get additional information and details on the current admission season.

Exam School Admissions Info Sessions:

These sessions covered admission requirements and timeline for students applying for the fall of 2026. Additional info sessions will be available in the fall. Video recordings of each session can be found below:

Monday, April 7, 6pm EST | Video Recording, Slides
Tuesday, April 29, 6pm EST | Video Recording, Slides

Info Sessions - Flyers

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Boston Public Schools has three exam schools: Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. All three schools accept new students for grades 7 and 9. John D. O’Bryant School accepts a small number of new students in grade 10.

The application process to the three exam schools includes an admissions test, student GPA, and Boston residency. Students must be currently enrolled in grades 5, 7, or 8 and reside in the City of Boston to be eligible to apply to one of our exam schools for September 2026.

BPS students in grade 7 attending an exam school are required to take the weekend MAP test if they wish to apply for grade 9 admission to a different exam school.

Steps and Deadlines

Please review the action steps below to learn more about our application process and important deadlines.

Step 1: Test Registration (MAP Growth)

Students have two opportunities to take the MAP Growth test to apply to the BPS exam schools - Spring and Fall. If the student takes the test twice, BPS will use the higher achievement percentile score in each subject area (Reading & Math) for the application. The student must complete both sections of the test in order to receive a score. You may access a MAP Growth demo by NWEA, intended for students to become familiar with the testing platform, here.

Students currently enrolled in grades 5 and 7 at a BPS school will take the admissions test at their current school between May 27 and June 6. No registration or further action is necessary. The only exception is for students currently attending the John D. O'Bryant, Boston Latin Academy or Boston Latin School, who must take the weekend MAP test.

Students not currently enrolled in BPS, students currently in grade 8 at a BPS school, or students in grade 7 at a BPS exam school, are required to participate in the weekend test administration. The next weekend test date of 2025 is Saturday, May 31st, 2025. As of midnight on Sunday, May 4th, test registration for the May 31st test has CLOSED - late registrations will NOT be accepted.

Step 2: Residency Verification for Students not currently enrolled in BPS: Private, Parochial, Commonwealth Charter Schools, METCO schools, Homeschool

In order to apply for and attend a BPS exam school, both the parent and student(s) must reside in the City of Boston. During the fall of 2025, parents/guardians of students who are not currently enrolled in Boston Public Schools are required to verify their City of Boston residency and submit their ranked school preferences as part of the application process. Please note that the Boston area Commonwealth charter schools are NOT part of the BPS district.

Students who must complete the Residency Verification Process in the fall of 2025 include:

Students attending a private school
Students attending parochial school
Students attending METCO program schools
Students attending Commonwealth Charter schools (excludes UP Academy, Boston Green Academy, and other “in-district” BPS charter schools)
Students attending schools outside the City of Boston
Students being home-schooled must demonstrate that both the student and parent/guardian live in the City of Boston

The residency verification must be completed even if a family has other children enrolled in Boston Public Schools; a student is receiving special education services from BPS; the parent or guardian is a current city employee; or if the student was previously enrolled in BPS.

Step 3: School Choice

As part of the application process, families must rank their preferences between the three exam schools (first choice, second choice, third choice, etc.). Students will be considered for admissions based on their test scores, GPA, and ranked order of preferences.

Families are encouraged to apply to all three exam schools for grade 7 and 9; however, the parent/guardian must rank at least one exam school to have the student considered for admissions. During the school choice process families are able to rank order the three exam schools, as well as other district schools within the child’s home-base.

Students not currently attending BPS will submit their ranked school preferences during the Residency Verification period.

Current BPS students in grades 5 and 7 will receive a School Choice Form from their current school in early January 2026. Families may write in their preferences and return the form to the child’s current school for processing. Families with an email address on file will also receive a notification with the option of submitting their ranked school preferences online.

The parent/guardian of grade 7 students currently attending an exam school, and the parent/guardian of a BPS grade 8 student interested in the O’Bryant, must take the weekend MAP exam and must visit a BPS Welcome Center in January 2026 to complete a transfer request in order to submit their ranked preference(s) for a different exam school.

Step 4: GPA

A Grade Point Average (GPA) of a B or higher is required to be considered for admissions. The GPA will be calculated based on current year (2024-2025) and next year (2025-26) marks. Students participating in advanced courses (honors, AWC, AP, etc.) do not receive additional points.

Students must have grades in each subject for the GPA to be calculated. Students that do not meet the GPA of a B or higher will not be considered for admissions and the application will be closed.

To view a summary of how grades will be converted for exam school consideration, please visit our fact sheet.

Step 5: Invitations

All applicants will receive an admissions decision letter in late April-May 2026 via email and postal mail, which will share the student’s status (invited/not invited), composite score, SES Tier number, and waitlist if applicable. Please note that exam school decisions are final and we do not accept appeals.

Applicants that receive an invitation to an exam school will be able to participate in a welcome event in the Spring of 2026 hosted by the school to meet the staff and learn about course offerings, extracurricular activities, and ask questions.

Quick Links

To sign up for the BPS Exam Schools Mailing List and receive updates regarding Exam Schools admissions throughout the year, please fill out this brief form.

Additional Points List by School - Admissions for 2025/26

BPS Tier Map

Composite Score Fact Sheet

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Previous Year Data Summaries