Quincy’s Early College program expands: scholarships, accelerated associate’s pathway and summer academy grow enrollment
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Summary
District and Quincy College officials reported rising early-college enrollment, a new accelerated associate’s pathway for ninth-graders, continued State Street Foundation support and a summer academy that offers no-cost college credits for high-school students.
Quincy Public Schools and Quincy College representatives told the school committee on March 12 that the district’s Early College High School program has expanded enrollment, added new options and secured continued philanthropic support.
Doctor (title used in transcript) and the college’s vice president of student success, Megan Joe Venoni, reported the Early College High School enrollment has increased from about 204 students in 2022–23 to 304 students in 2024–25. The program now includes grade 9 for the first time; 64 ninth-graders are participating this year. Officials noted that 108 current Early College students are first-generation college-goers and that 36 participants are economically disadvantaged — outcomes the presenters described as evidence the program reaches students the initiative was designed to help.
Key elements and new initiatives
- Courses and credits: Students can earn up to 25 Quincy College credits across grades 9–12 through the standard pathway; offerings this year include introduction to computer science, English composition, statistics and other college-level courses. Students must earn a C (73) or better to receive college credit.
- Accelerated associate’s degree pathway: For the first time this year, Quincy and the college launched an Accelerated Associate Degree program that allows motivated students to pursue a 62-credit associate degree while in high school. The district recruited and interviewed ninth-graders for the program and enrolled 14 students this year. Classes meet on the Quincy College campus Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and are provided at no cost to families.
- Scholarship and funding: State Street Foundation continues to underwrite a large portion of the program; presenters said the foundation provides about $550,000 per year to the college, which supplements scholarship support and counseling; the foundation extended a new two-year commitment. Quincy College also pledged a full-tuition scholarship to Early College graduates who choose to enroll there; organizers said the scholarship will cover up to 24 credits and fees for the 2025–26 academic year.
- Summer academy and parent advisory team: The Early College Summer Academy will run in July, offering free tuition, textbooks and transit support; last year’s summer program included a significant number of graduating seniors who used the opportunity to complete college credits before starting college. The program maintains a parent advisory team and an alumni initiative designed to support students after graduation.
Why it matters: The program combines access to college coursework, financial support, and degree pathways to reduce barriers to postsecondary education for Quincy students, particularly first-generation and low-income students.
Next steps and recruitment
Officials said they will continue recruitment, expand Saturday prep programs for middle-school students, run summer academies, and monitor results for the first cohort in the accelerated associate’s pathway.
