FOR RELEASE
Worcester - Massachusetts' knowledge-based labor economy increasingly requires that candidates have sound postsecondary education credentials to access good jobs with family-sustaining wages. Yet, despite having one of the most well-funded and effective public education systems in the country, Massachusetts continues to face persistent and growing equity gaps in college success for Black and Latino students, and students from low-income families.
In Worcester, there are approximately 7,200 students in grades 9 - 12 across the seven district high schools. In addition to being one of the state’s largest districts, Worcester is also one of its most diverse and the schools serve significant proportions of students historically underrepresented in college and career. An analysis of data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shows that, for the most recent data available, only 21% of Worcester Public Schools graduates go on to earn a college degree within six years of high school graduation. Unfortunately, the numbers are even lower for Latino students (11%), English Language Learners (15%), and students with disabilities (8%). Without intervention, these gaps will continue to contribute to and sustain historical inequities in career success, wages, and life outcomes for Worcester students. Furthermore, these gaps have an undeniable impact on Worcester's quality of life and economic outlook.
Early College is a leading evidence-based solution to dramatically increase college degree attainment, and is particularly effective at boosting attainment outcomes for students who are historically-underrepresented in higher education. In a few short years, Massachusetts has laid a strong foundation for Early College success and scale, and Worcester continues to be a leader in this work. This report includes a current snapshot of the college success equity gap in Massachusetts, the impact of Early College opportunities in Worcester to-date, and key recommendations for expanding Early College access across the City.
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Worcester’s education sector is currently experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime inflection point as a series of opportunities converge: 1) new district leadership, 2) an unprecedented infusion of state and federal education funding, 3) an update to the district strategic plan, and 4) reconfiguring of the School Committee as result of a consent decree associated with the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In light of this context and opportunity, Worcester Education Collaborative received a grant from the Barr Foundation to uplift community voice. Through this work, WEC is working with community partners to produce a series of timely, community-informed resources on essential topics in education including briefs on early college, transportation and access to out-of-school programming, community schools, and school safety.
The attached report, Early College: The Best Investment for College Success, represents the first installment of the WEC Briefing Series on these topics.
