The Massachusetts Alliance for Early College (MA4EC) breaks down barriers to college and career success for all students, particularly for those that have historically been underserved and underrepresented, by supporting the growth of and creating conditions for high-quality, high-impact Early College programs across Massachusetts.
Our goal is to close a quarter of the statewide college success equity gap by race and income and benefit thousands of students beyond that through the growth of high-quality Early College programs in Massachusetts.
We will achieve this goal by supporting:
Scale
Enabling the field to serve 45,000 students in grades 9-12, ⅔ of whom are Black, Latino, or economically disadvantaged.
Quality
Doubling the degree attainment rate for Black, Latino, and economically-disadvantaged students who participate in Early College.
Our Vision
Our vision is that students in Massachusetts leave high school empowered and equipped to pursue their chosen postsecondary path, having had a high school experience that deeply integrated college and career. Students go on to live fulfilling lives and to shape a healthy, thriving, and opportunity-filled future Commonwealth.
Our Strategies
Collective Impact
Building and activating a large, energized coalition of cross-sector partners who are meaningfully activated behind Early College, generating growth, impact and sustainability.
Policy Conditions
Educating and advocating for sufficient, sustainable, and predictable funding and policy conditions that are conducive to the growth of high-quality Early College and reduce barriers to efficient and effective programs.
Capacity Building
Ensuring local and state-level teams are sufficiently-sized, expertly-skilled, highly-connected, and collectively working towards a high bar for quality.
Innovation
Supporting the evolution of the Early College Initiative over time to incorporate proven, high-impact innovations.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
The Alliance is committed to centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in every aspect of our work. Fundamentally shifting the opportunity landscape in Massachusetts by breaking down barriers to college and career success requires a diverse and inclusive coalition and must be authentically informed by those who are most impacted by the systems we’re working to change.
We believe:
Our differences as people make us stronger as a community. We bring people together across lines of difference to collectively impact the educational and societal change we need for a thriving state.
The surest way to impact is guided by the experiences of those most proximate. We actively listen to our students and communities, and use their experiences as our compass.
Team efficacy depends on diverse backgrounds, experiences, and contributions. We build a culture that welcomes and nurtures individuals to bring their unique talents and diversity of opinion to work.
Want to Learn More About Joining the Alliance?
Contact Cameron Mendes-Moreau at [email protected] to learn more.