Early College Designation Criteria

To review the current draft of the Early College Designation criteria, please go to http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/earlycollegecriteria530.docx

1. Are the draft designation criteria for early college clear and understandable as outlined? Do you have any specific questions about the criteria?

2. Do you think high schools and institutions of higher education in your region will be interested in pursuing the early college designation? Why or why not?

3. What barriers do you see for high schools and institutions of higher education in pursuing an early college designation?

4. Our hope is that students in a designated early college program will be successful matriculating, persisting, and completing a degree program – ideally a 4-year degree program. Therefore we are using the Undergraduate Admissions Standards for the Massachusetts State University System and the University of Massachusetts as a framework for how early college programming is structured. We are interested in your feedback on this issue.

5. The draft designation criteria require two of the college level courses to be introductory Mathematics and English, thereby ensuring that students enter college with coursework toward any degree. We are interested in your feedback on this approach

6. Approved designated early college programs in Massachusetts will align with the following five key design principles, as adopted by both Boards at the joint meeting on January 24, 2017: equitable access, guided academic pathways, enhanced student support, connection to career, and effective partnerships. If your high school or institution of higher education currently offers early college programming, to what extent are these five guiding principles embedded in the design of your existing program(s)?

7. What changes would be needed for your existing programs to align with the early college model as represented in this draft?

8. If you currently offer early college programming, how do students gain access to that programming?

If you currently offer early college programming, do you currently target first generation college-goers, or students with low academic skills?

If “yes,” please briefly explain how you do so and any challenges you encounter.
If “no,” your existing programs do not currently target, how will you accept students to ensure the intended population of students is being served?

10. If your school currently offers early college programming, how are you funding the initiative, and what is the per pupil cost?

11. If your school currently offers dual enrollment/early college programming, how do you measure your initiative’s effectiveness? Please list basic measurable outcomes (e.g. graduation rate, college persistence, etc.)

12. What is your level of interest in developing an early college model? What supports/technical assistance would you need to make this possible?