Rep. Ella Chapin introduces bill to repeal early college, expand dual enrollment and form working group

Representative Ella Chapin introduced H.779 to the House Education Committee on Jan. 28, proposing to repeal the state—early college statutory program, expand dual-enrollment vouchers and create a working group to study how state colleges and high schools can deliver college-level programming inside high schools.

Chapin, who identified herself as representing East Mount Holyoke in Middlesex, said the measure is rooted in personal experience and conversations with parents, school board members and legislators. "The bill would repeal early college," she told the committee, adding that she does not seek to reduce student opportunities but to address what she described as uneven and sometimes damaging local impacts.

Chapin and several other speakers said concentrated local uptake of early college has, in some places, left senior-year classes so small that teachers and advanced courses have been difficult to sustain. An instructor who identified themself as teaching dual-enrollment statistics told the committee: "The classes are empty. I have not a single class of more than 5 students this semester." Chapin gave a concrete…