BOSTON – The Patrick administration today released $738,000 in grant funding aimed at creating new Early College High School programs in six Massachusetts communities, including Westfield State University at almost $50,000..
“Traditional high school offerings don’t work for every student and so we must create new avenues to ensure their success,” said Secretary of Education Matthew Malone. “The opportunities these students will receive due to these grants will put them at a great advantage when they graduate high school and will prepare them well for the workforce demands of the future.”
Early College High School designs allow high school students in six Massachusetts communities to earn college credit through college level coursework incorporated into the high school experience. The programs are aimed to increase the number of students who graduate from high school and go on to earn a college degree.
Awards announced yesterday will allow lead applicants, Salem State University, Worcester State University, Wheelock College, Roxbury Community College, Haverhill Public Schools and Westfield State University, to create programs that give high school students access to earn up to two years of college credit or an associate degree before graduating high school.
In the 2011-2012 academic year, a total of 4,140 students (including home-schoolers and those enrolled in Massachusetts public and private high schools) were dual enrolled at a public higher education institution in Massachusetts.
Funding for the grant is provided by the Acts of 2014, Chapter 287, An Act Promoting Economic Growth Across the Commonwealth, Section 2A, Item 7009-6406.
More information about the Early College Designs: www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/earlycollegedesigns.pdf.
