Last week, Governor Healey signed a $61 billion state budget. This new spending blueprint was crafted amid ongoing economic uncertainty and federal changes that will put significant strain on state resources. Despite these monumental challenges, legislative leaders once again made a deliberate choice to invest big in Early College expansion.
Estimates suggest 11,000 students will participate in Early College next year. Covering their expenses will cost around $30 million. The legislature worked hard to ensure that the Healey-Driscoll administration will be able to foot the bill with funding from three line-items and new dollars generated by Fair Share.
While the state faces many competing needs, the legislature sent a clear message that Early College remains front and center. As a proven strategy to help students succeed in higher education and advance economically, Early College has long been a priority for Gateway City leaders. The increasing investment in the FY 2026 budget underscores a shared commitment across all three branches of state government to give more and more Gateway City students opportunities to embark on this rewarding pathway.
The state’s commitment is also evident in a new goal presented by the Early College Joint Committee (ECJC) in June. In the Fall, the ECJC will recommend that members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and Higher Education vote to grow Early College enrollment to 22,000 students by 2030. This will be the first time that the state has a transparent growth target.
Doubling Early College enrollment over the next five years will require considerable effort. The good news is cities and higher education institutions are already lining up to do the work. At the June meeting, the ECJC also approved 18 new Early College designations. This batch included new or extended programs in Attleboro, Brockton, Fall River, New Bedford, Pittsfield, and Springfield. With these additions, the initiative now reaches 69 high schools and 32 higher education institutions, touching nearly every Gateway City in the state.
The FY 2026 budget and recent action by the ECJC shows the state will be there to partner with communities that continue to work hard to grow Early College in this difficult time. As Gateway City educators take time for well-deserved R&R this summer, they can be reassured that fuel for their efforts will remain in strong supply when they return in the fall.