Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the College Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Woburn Memorial High expands UMass Lowell early-college partnership; district to add courses and supports
Summary
Woburn administrators and UMass Lowell representatives outlined expansion of an early-college program that lets juniors and seniors take UMass courses at no cost to students; the program reported a 94% pass rate for participating students and plans to add English, math and history courses next year.
Woburn Memorial High School and the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Feb. 26 described an expanding early-college partnership that lets juniors and seniors take UMass courses on the high-school campus and earn transferable college credits free of charge.
STEM coordinator Kim Gustenhoven and Francine Costin (UMass Lowell) said the program is in its second year in Woburn. Gustenhoven described it as “not the same as a dual-enrollment program” because students are registered as UMass students and take courses that are taught by university faculty (live-streamed into school or sometimes on campus). She said the program so far has offered two science courses and that students receive full UMass transcripts for successful work.
UMass Lowell representatives said students can earn 12–15 college credits by the time they graduate from high school — roughly equivalent to one semester of college tuition. Costin highlighted that the partnership is pursuing a state designation through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education so it remains free to participating students and the district.
Program details and results: The district reported a 94% pass rate for students who participated last year. Next year the district intends to add early-college English writing and literature, statistics and pre-calculus, and to expand the use of OneGoal programming (college-transition supports) for the cohort. Administrators said Two guidance counselors will run parts of the OneGoal program, and that the district hopes to leverage early-college courses across STEM, math, English and history departments.
Why it matters: Administrators and board members said the program lowers future college costs for families and can help students explore and prepare for college in a supportive environment. Vice Chair Chisholm and several committee members praised the initiative as particularly valuable for first-generation college students.
Next steps: The district will continue to seek DESE designation, recruit students for the expanded course slate, and coordinate schedule alignment with UMass instructors. Committee members asked for outreach to parents to ensure community awareness of the free-credit opportunity.
