Presented to the Board of Higher Education and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education at the joint meeting on January 26, 2016 at Roxbury Community College.

1. Early College Programming
in Massachusetts
Discussion for the
Boards of Elementary
and Secondary
Education and
Higher Education
January 26, 2016

2. Purpose of Presentation
• Provide boards with background on
early college concepts and models,
in general and in Massachusetts
• Outline guiding questions for
policy discussion
• Questions and feedback

3. What are
early college programs?
• Early college programs:
• Incorporate credit-bearing college
coursework and academic supports into
the high school experience
• Allow students to simultaneously
fulfill requirements for their
high school diploma and a
subsequent college credential

4. How do high school students
earn college credit?
onlineon the
college campus
Early College Programs:
Enrolling in college-level coursework while
simultaneously enrolled in high school
through classes offeredthrough classes offered
on the high school campus
on the high
school campus
taught by
college faculty
(“dual enrollment”)
college-approved
high school teachers
(“concurrent enrollment”)
High School Courses:
Enrolling in high school-level
coursework that may
result in college credit
through
Advanced
Placement (AP)
International
Baccalaureate (IB)
Articulated
Courses

5. There are many potential benefits of
early college programming.
• Students may:
– Get a head start on college credits at low or no cost, or even
earn a credential while still in high school
– Gain exposure to college expectations and culture, building
confidence and easing the transition to college after high school
– Gain career skills by participating in real work experiences
– Decrease time to college completion and entry to workforce
• High schools and institutions of higher education may:
– Strengthen relationships that help to further alignment of
high school and college curricula
– Engage and advance student interest in high-need fields
such as advanced manufacturing, information technology and
health care

6. Nationwide, early college programs have
shown positive outcomes for students.
Data Source: Jobs for the Future, “Early College High Schools Get Results”
Based on outcomes of thousands of students who attended about 100 representative early college
programs nationwide.
Early College
Students
All Students
Receive
HS diploma 90% 78%
Enroll in college
(immediate fall) 71% 68%
Persist in college 86% 72%
National studies have found that students in early college programming are
more likely to graduate high school, enroll in college, and earn a degree.
For example:

7. Many early college designs incorporate a
mix of the following program components.
Offer College Credits
towards a degree or
postsecondary credential
Identify Industry Sector
driven by labor market information
Establish High School &
College Partnership
creating 9–14/16 pathways with
clear structures, timelines, costs,
and requirements
Engage Employers & Integrate
Career Development Education
providing a continuum of
work-based learning opportunities
Align High School &
College Curriculum
creating a scope and sequence
that best prepares students for
credit-bearing coursework
Integrated High School &
College Designs
“school within school” or “full school”
models that systemically blend
high school and college
Support Students Academically &
Non-Academically
helping students develop academic,
social skills, and the behaviors
necessary for college completion
MORE UNIVERSAL/COMMON LESS UNIVERSAL/COMMON

8. There are obvious benefits to offering more
college credits to high school students.

9. Some Current Models
in Massachusetts
Commonwealth
Dual Enrollment
Partnership
Pathways to
Prosperity & Youth
CareerConnect
STEM Early
College
High Schools
Key emphasis
Eases transition to
college; promotes
transferability of
earned credits
Promotes 9–14 career
pathways, workplace
learning opportunities
Promotes student
achievement in STEM,
enrollment in
STEM majors
Student groups
targeted
1st generation college students, students interested in STEM
# of college credits
earned per student
Generally 3–6 At least 12 Up to 24
Scale
• Over 3,300 students
projected for FY16
• 25 colleges
• 250+ high schools
• Over 1,100 students
• 4 colleges
• 4 high schools
• Over 500 students
• 5 colleges
• 5 districts + Mass.
Association of
Vocational
Administrators
Source: The Massachusetts Landscape of Early College; DHE FY16 CDEP data.

10. Emerging National Models:
New York

11. Emerging National Models:
North Carolina
• To increase # of students graduating from high school who
enroll and succeed in college, North Carolina has established
the largest number of Early College High Schools in the US.
• Design principles:
– Ready for College
– Powerful Teaching and Learning
– Personalization
– Professionalism
– Leadership
– Purposeful Design
Source: Smoothing the Way to College: Impact of Early College High Schools. SERVE Center, University
of North Carolina at Greensboro. May 2015.

12. The Commonwealth has a significant need
for more baccalaureate graduates.
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Projected Graduates vs. Projected Workforce Need
Source: “Job Growth and Education Requirements Through 2020,” Georgetown Center on Education and
the Workforce
Shortfall in Bachelor’s Graduates from Massachusetts Public Higher Education
Shortfall in Associate Graduates from Massachusetts Public Higher Education

13. Guiding Questions for
Ongoing Policy Discussion
– What are the metrics by which we should
measure success and program outcomes?
– What mode(s) of program design will we
pursue, and what are the implications?
– What type(s) of students are we going
to serve?
– How will funding and sustainability of
programs be ensured?
– Who will be accountable for the success of
this work?