Harford Technical opened in 1978 as a vocational and technical school but now serves as Harford County's singular school for academic studies and career/technical education. Students in grades nine through 12 are offered opportunities to prepare for college, further post-secondary technical education, and/or enter into the work force or U.S. military through participation in one of nineteen career and technical programs, beginning in grade nine. Students in Harford County must apply to go to Harford Tech. Once entering the school, the students focus on a trade from one of the following: Construction, Manufacturing, Automotives, Computer Aided Design and Technical Drawing (Also known as Drafting, giving CADD its name), Food Preparation, Cosmetology, Agribusiness and TAM, Cyber Security, Floral Design, Landscape Architecture and Management, Printing and Graphic Arts, Nursing, and Sports Medicine.
Harford Tech has consistently ranked #1 High School in Harford County and has one of the highest graduation rates.[2]
The school has changed its name since the school was founded. It was once called "Harford Vocational Technical High School" or "Harford VoTech."
History
The original building was finally constructed in the mid-70s. There have been several additions made to the school to accommodate more students including the new William H. Amoss Performing Arts Center, finished in 2000, and "Cobra Stadium" and surrounding athletic fields, finished in Spring 2009.
Students
Since Harford Tech. is a magnet school, becoming a student there has become more and more competitive in recent years. Students who live in the Harford County School District must go through an application process to be admitted to Harford Tech. This is normally done in the students 8th Grade year. On average, the ratio of applications to available positions is 4:1, and about half of those applicants will get to the interview stage. About half of the students interviewed will then be admitted to the school. Students can only apply for a place in a single technical area. Consequently, there is a waiting list for admittance in any given year. Students not admitted will attend the regular high school in their catchment area or go private.
Though the student population has leveled off in the past few years, it nearly doubled between 1993 and 2004 when enrollment peaked.
2018 Girls Outdoor Track & Field Coach Darrell Diamond named All-Metro Coach of the Year Baltimore Sun and Girls Maryland Coach of the Year U.S. Track & Field[7]
