The MassINC Policy Center generates research to frame pressing issues, identify actionable solutions, and monitor progress. The Center favors a ground-up approach, engaging with state and local officials and civic leaders to surface problems and actionable strategies to address them. We strive to produce unbiased information that leaders can rely on when tasked with making difficult choices.
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Early College Life Sciences Pathways
Expanding Early College access and strengthening career-connected learning are critical to ensuring Massachusetts maintains a competitive, skilled workforce. This report outlines four key objectives to guide an expansion strategy that state leaders are currently developing.
March 3, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Early college is Massachusetts’ most systemic and impactful effort to increase college access and success. Marrying this educational equity strategy with industry-led efforts to grow the life sciences workforce will deliver stronger results on both fronts.
- Building robust Early College life sciences pathways is a difficult and complex undertaking that requires strong industry involvement. At present, the industry has very little awareness of the state’s Early College strategy, and there has been no formal effort to engage the sector in the state’s ambitious Early College initiative.
- With the Massachusetts Early College Initiative conducting its first strategic plan and the state’s Life Sciences 3.0 economic development package signed into law, the coming months will be decisive. The actions leaders take to enable the growth of Early College life sciences pathways will heavily influence the ability of Massachusetts students to participate fully in this cutting-edge industry for years to come.
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Opening the Doors to the Jobs of the Future
Expanding Early College access and strengthening career-connected learning are critical to ensuring Massachusetts maintains a competitive, skilled workforce, and this report outlines four key objectives to guide the state's expansion strategy.
March 3, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Massachusetts must significantly expand Early College programs to reach more low-income students, as current enrollment remains too limited to make a substantial impact. The state should prioritize high-potential high schools and utilize hybrid or online learning models to ensure accessibility, particularly for students in rural areas.
- Current Early College programs lack structured connections to high-demand industries like health and STEM. A more robust program should integrate specialized advising, career development experiences, and credit accumulation targets, while also aligning Early College with Innovation and Career Pathway (ICP) programs.
- Expanding Early College to middle-income students can create more diverse learning environments, strengthen urban schools, and support high school redesign in smaller districts. Targeted strategies include regional partnerships, urban magnet schools, and enrollment goals that promote integration in Boston and the Gateway Cities.
- Sustainable Early College expansion will require clear governance structures, accountability measures, and administrative capacity. Some necessary policy changes will need to be addressed through board decisions, legislation, and budget appropriations.
Latest Updates
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Gateway Cities Journal: We got the keys — unlocking housing production in Gateway Cities
The Unlocking Housing Production Commission’s newly released report offers bold recommendations to tackle housing barriers while addressing key challenges that have long hindered development in Gateway Cities.
February 27, 2025
Gateway Cities
The Gateway Cities Innovation Institute works to unlock the economic potential of small to mid-size regional cities.
Leveraging MassINC’s research, polling, and policy team, the Institute strengthens connections across communities and helps Gateway City leaders develop and advance a shared policy agenda.
