Do you have an academically-inclined child who's getting close to entering high school in the next couple of years? If so, you should definitely consider West Career & Technical Academy, a.k.a., West Tech or WCTA. The newest tech academy in Clark County, WCTA opened in 2010 to much fanfare: It's got four greenhouses! It's partially powered by solar energy! There are Apple computers everywhere on campus for the students to use, even the cafeteria! Like other magnet high schools in the valley, students must apply and then go through a lottery to gain acceptance. WCTA is geared towards college prep with nine programs: Veterinary and Medical Sciences, Biotechnology, Nursing, Sports Medicine, Environmental Science & Natural Resources, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Business Management, Digital Media, and Information Technology. The emphasis here is definitely on learning and it helps if your son or daughter already has an idea of what they want to major in when they get to college, as you can tell from the programs offered. This is not like the traditional high schools around, so don't expect there to be NIAA sports teams or cheerleading because there are none. If a student here wants to play basketball, baseball, run track, etc., he/she must go the to high school they're zoned for and play for that school's team (if they make it through try-outs like everyone else). There are numerous clubs to join, though, as well as dances, yearbook, etc. West Tech is like a junior college for high school students. There is a lot of homework and there are students who transfer out because they can't handle the rigorous workload. However, if you want to see your tax dollars being put to good use, it's definitely happening here. West Tech students are basically getting a private education for free and I have no doubt that when my son enters college, he'll be more prepared because of his time here. There are open houses every year so you can tour the high tech campus for yourself. Read more about it here: https://sites.google.com/a/westcta.ccsd.net/westctawebsite/home Five stars for a five-star school. read more

Teachers are all rude. Make dumb new rules every week. Students get detention over 2 tardies. School needs students to clean for them. Maybe higher your budget. read more

*****This review is only for part of the campus and the "black box" where I saw a play this evening. ***** I attended a play at the West Career and Technical Academy in their "black box" theatre in Building F. I use quotes for black box because the program notes that the space is borrowed from the engineering teachers. The sound quality isn't what you would generally expect from a theatre. The space was set up well with risers so the audience had good sight lines. I'm guessing the space holds about 80 people the way it's configured. The school opened in August of 2010 so it's a new campus. The school is very clean and the parking is adequate for the number of students who drive. Being a lifelong educator, it pains me to see security cameras in the hallways and the parking lots, but I know it's part of what our society is. The campus is only about 2 miles from where I live so I'll be back and see some more of their productions. It's good to have an audience that is more than just the parents of the kids in the show. Well done, Wranglers Theatre! read more

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The staff treats the students as if they're cattle. They don't care about your kid they care about the money from the hours they spend looking at your kid. Not to mention the teachers don't teach and the counselors won't help. The only upside is that it gets out early in the day and since most of the teachers don't care I can work on different projects in different classes. I've had to deal with teachers here who have told me that it wasn't 'their job to support me'. I've had staff tell me that a hurtful comment from a teacher is just 'constructive criticism that I'm taking the wrong way'. No matter how bad the teachers are or how terrible the experience is the admin will do whatever to cover their terrible teachers. They don't care about how you feel they care about their rating. read more

My son is in his third year at WCTA and it just keeps getting better and better! I am a Gorman alumna and we had always planned to send our son to BGHS, however once we reviewed the programs and toured the campus for WCTA we changed our mind and have never looked back. I am active at the school and have interacted with the Principal, the staff and many of the teachers. The educators at this school are world class - I would expect to find most of them at highly regarded collegiate campuses, not a local high school - just when I think I have met the best teacher ever, I meet another one and am blown away. The course content and educational methods for students in any subject blows away any other school - these teachers are revolutionary, the principal gives them the support to inspire and teach and the kids LOVE their school! My son's education level is so far above our friends kids its remarkable that they are even in the same grade to me. We have every college you can think of coming directly to the campus to meet with the kids - Ivy league, Private, Public - all around the US- you name it; your student can literally choose from the top schools in the nation that have representatives every week at WCTA to meet with the kids. Not only during "College Week" like other campuses or a few times a year - we have different colleges multiple times a week for students to meet with. This is all possible of course because of the amazing Principal. Our Principal, Amy Dockter Rozar is a driving force for excellence and efficiency, spending countless hours ensuring the success and diversity of our campus. You will see staff and students alike stop by her office with a warm smile and a friendly story - her office is always open and her positive attitude is contagious and inspiring. It is no accident that we are continually named in the top high schools by prestigious rankings such as US News, Niche, KNPR and many others - not only locally but nationally. We have amazing resources like multiple acres of greenhouses which are used in cross program education for any student to learn skills in not only horticulture but even things like biotechnology. Our nursing and medical programs offer internship at major medical facilities and the kids literally graduate having done much more than they would get in a college program. Our IT department has kids that are already programing and selling apps and the lab is amazing. Our environmental science program is led by a top level executive turned educator who teaches the students in a revolutionary program where kids get a clear grasp of the application of their education and where they can go with it. The educators in the English department have us hanging on the edge of our seats to see the next amazing and inspiring project they assign... I could go on and on... There are endless clubs and extra curricular resources for our students. If you look at the rankings for the local DECA, FBLA (future business leaders of america), Skills USA, National Honor Society - our students dominate the awards and recognitions on all of the clubs and leave a clear gap from other schools. Not only those clubs but many others. There is a very unified atmosphere at the school. The students do not consider themselves to just go to the school, they consider that they, the teachers, the staff and the parents are all part of something bigger, there is a great feel of community at the school. They are taught corporate culture in the same way as all of the fortune 500 companies use. The school actually combines culture training and collaborative projects with the educational format and you truly see the difference at the school. I know, I dont only pick up my son, I often pick up his friends from a neighboring school and you can see the difference from the parking lot. At WCTA - you see kids in scrubs (for medical or nursing programs), in suits for presentations, smiling kids, well dressed - well groomed with heads held high, looking like they are off to do important things. I pick up our friends sons from neighboring Palo or BGHS and you see the typical "clicks" in the parking lot, kids just hanging around but very little eye contact and not with that "positively driven, I'm going great places" look to them that is so common at WCTA. There are no high school politics at WCTA, there are no fights in the gym or behind the school, just none of the fringe stuff that goes on with teenagers. I am not saying all kids at WCTA are perfect but I am around there all the time and I still have not seen the bad apple - I also would like to say that we know many amazing students from both Palo and BGHS as I mentioned but I am referring to the usual riff raff that you see at high schools which just doesn't exist at WCTA. So hopefully that is not too long winded but we certainly have many great things to say about WCTA and we are extremely glad we chose WCTA! read more

Completely inconsistent- from the quality of the teachers to how they handle discipline. Your experience will be luck of the draw.

My daughter has had the privilege( yes going to Magnet schools is a privilege) to attend a magent school since first grade. West CTA exceeds any expectation a parent can have for their child in High School. With its smaller student population and its access to higher technical activities and opportunities WCTA is definitely worth the parental sacrifices. I would not be able to afford a private education , however at WCTA i feel as tho my daughter is obtaining one. Her counselor Jaison McElroy exceeds any expectations a parent could have for a counselor. I would HIGHLY recommend any parent to get their child in Magnet as CCSD regular schools are so lacking. Her whole school has less of a population the my nephew who attends his zoned high school has in his junior class alone. read more