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Early College Lowell praised as expanding pathway; students report large credit, cost‑savings gains
Summary
Presenters said Early College Lowell, a partnership with Middlesex Community College and Project Learn, has grown since its 2019 designation — enrollment rose from 239 to 421 (76% increase) and credits earned increased by roughly 51% compared with earlier years; students and MCC praised the program and invited the committee to a recognition ceremony.
Superintendent Skinner introduced a "Spotlight on Excellence" on May 7 for Early College Lowell, a partnership among Lowell Public Schools, Middlesex Community College and Project Learn. Heather Bruner, a career and college counselor at Lowell High School, described the program model, pathways and student supports and presented enrollment and credit gains since accreditation in 2019.
Bruner said the program was one of the first Early College designees in the Commonwealth and has grown into one of the state’s larger programs. She told the committee that in the 2019–20 school year 239 students were enrolled in early college classes and last school year 421 students participated (a 76% increase). Credits earned rose from about 2,054 in 2019–20 to over 3,100 most recently (a 51% increase), and Bruner said families have saved nearly $2.5 million as of fall 2022 through college credits earned in high school.
Student Jessica Ray, a senior in the Independence program and senior class president, described taking courses that transferred and said she will enter UMass Lowell with roughly 30 credits, "nearly being a sophomore in college already." Phil Sisson, president of Middlesex Community College, praised the district partnership, emphasized credit transferability and invited the committee to the inaugural dual‑enrollment/early college recognition ceremony at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.
Committee members congratulated program staff and students; members asked clarifying questions about which statistics include one‑credit freshman seminars (Bruner said those were reported separately) and about state funding for concurrent enrollment and early college designations. Dr. Pinto later described a statewide request from community college presidents for $31 million to support concurrent and dual enrollment, with $14 million targeted to early college expansions and related supports.
The committee placed the spotlight on the record in advance of the district’s budget hearings and accepted the presenters’ invitation to the recognition ceremony.
