A new report examines whether expanding career-focused technical high schools can address declining student engagement—especially among boys—who often underperform in traditional academic settings. The story uses evidence from Connecticut’s technical school admissions system, including findings that boys admitted into Connecticut’s technical schools saw stronger attendance, test scores, graduation rates, and earnings than peers just below the cutoff. However, it also underscores a constraint: technical high schools face a seat shortage, with only 44% of applicants gaining admission this year. That scarcity has driven disputes over access in Connecticut and neighboring Massachusetts, where both states shifted from competitive admissions to lotteries amid concerns about shutting out at-risk students. The report raises a policy question for higher education leaders and state systems: whether seat expansion should be prioritized alongside admissions reform to achieve the student success gains that technical education can deliver.