Getting Started

What Is RSTA and How Do I Enroll In RSTA Courses?
RSTA is the Career & Technical Education (CTE)* department of CRLS; it is NOT a separate school. Enrollment of 9th graders in RSTA courses is limited to the Exploratory course, courses designated as open to Freshman, and Level 1 courses in selected RSTA programs. Enrollment of 10th through 12th graders is accomplished by consulting with your Guidance Counselor and selecting the Program (example: Engineering, Creative Design, or Health Assisting, etc.) and the Level (Level 1, 2, or 3) that is most appropriate for you.

Is RSTA For You?
Taking courses through RSTA offers opportunities for students of all abilities, interests, and talents. Whether you are planning to continue your education by attending a liberal arts college or university, a technical institute, a community college, or if you are planning to enlist in military service or enter the workforce immediately after high school, RSTA prepares you for success in your future.

RSTA uses an applied approach to learning that is both instructive and fun. Classes are oriented towards State-Of-The-Art "hands-on" learning. Students at RSTA have access to equipment & facilities that are continually being updated, including: a newly designed and equipped Information Technology/Computer Science center, a professional-grade kitchen, state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing and robotics equipment in the Engineering program, and a new Biomanufacturing Lab in Biotechnology.

It is important to note that the RSTA courses and curricula are based upon the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) Career and Technical Education Frameworks (Revised 2014) and are reviewed and updated annually by a team of local professionals in each program area. We work closely with the staff of the Metro North Regional Employment Board and the City of Cambridge Office of Workforce Development to assure that the programs & courses we offer are in areas in which jobs will be available when a student graduates from high school or college.

Your Choices
Students decide to “major” in an RSTA course during their high school career, usually near the end of 9th grade or early in 10th grade. Typically, students begin their “major” in a Level 1 class in their sophomore year, then, as they progress through CRLS, they enroll in a Level 2 as a junior, then a Level 3 as a senior. By following a technical pathway through multiple levels of increasingly complex and challenging courses in a program area, students develop extensive competencies in their field of study and have many growth opportunities available to them upon graduation.

*Career & Technical Education, or CTE, is the term currently used by most states to identify the comprehensive, structured, and sequential programs of learning that are designed to provide high school students with a foundation of knowledge & skills in a particular area of future study or employment.
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