BPS expands pathway programs
BPS is taking a step forward in their commitment to expand assistance to students on the path to college and careers, the district announced Monday, with the launch of the pilot “Year 13” and STEM technical programs in the 2023-24 school year.
“These partnerships are a shining example of what can be achieved when post-secondary, business and philanthropic institutions come together as a village to support BPS and our students,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper in a BPS release. “Expanding early college and career pathways across BPS is a key part of our strategy.”
The Year 13 program will be implemented at Fenway High School through a partnership with UMass Boston, allowing seniors to remain in high school for an extra year to take college coursework at UMass Boston. Under the program, seniors may ultimately complete their first two years of college for free while in high school.
The STEM Tech Career Academy will likewise be implemented at Dearborn STEM Academy in Roxbury, the district said, enabling the high school students to earn associate’s degrees and credentials in key STEM fields. The academies are six-year programs focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math fields.
The programs follow the Wu administration’s pledge expand early college and career pathways across secondary schools.
Early College and Career Pathways programs enrollment has increased 29% since 2020, the BPS release detailed, with the largest increases in participation in Innovation and Early College Pathways.
District and school officials noted the benefit to students in terms of reducing the cost and barriers to higher education.
“As we all know, the cost of college is skyrocketing,” said Dearborn STEM Academy Head of School Darlene Marcano. “This program will alleviate so much of the financial burden on our students and give them the opportunity to go to college at an affordable price while still taking advantage of the love and support we offer here at BPS.”
The programs “kind of blur the lines between high school and college,” Fenway High School Head of School Geoff Walker.
Programs like these “boost college completion rates for low-income, minority and first-generation college students,” BPS said.
“Early college programming addresses some of the financial and socioemotional issues that prevent some young people from achieving class mobility through education,” said Boston School Committee Chairperson Jeri Robinson. “Supporting students in familiar environments as they begin taking collegelevel courses is an innovation that will help our District meet some of the biggest challenges of education in the 21st century.”