Building Bridges Between Public K-12 & Higher Education: Using Early College to Institutionalize University Partnerships with Local School Districts

Abstract

The college degree attainment divide between students from underserved backgrounds and their more privileged peers remains a critical issue in America despite the rising economic demand for a more educated workforce. Both K-12 school districts and higher education institutions have struggled to effectively serve first-generation college students and students from low-income backgrounds. Evidence of this systemic inequity includes a lack of preparation for college-level coursework and lower graduation rates among minoritized populations at many colleges and universities nationwide.

This capstone highlights my work during a 10-month residency at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where I led a process to help the university start its first Early College Pilot initiative. By leveraging an organizational change framework and homing in on my sources of power, I conducted research on best practices for Early College programs, engaged with senior leadership at UMass Boston, and connected with school leaders in the Boston Public Schools. These actions laid the foundation for a collaboration that reimagines the high school experience and increases access to college pathways for participating students.

Early findings elevate the value of coalition-building in leading organizational change efforts. They encourage leaders to become keenly aware of the internal and external forces that enable and hinder progress towards that change. The implications drawn from this work are helpful for university and K-12 leaders seeking to build and strengthen meaningful relationships that produce academic success and innovative postsecondary pathways. As a result of this experience, I propose that K-12 and higher education institutions seeking to establish high-impact collaborations: (1) think more expansively about what a college experience can look like rather than subscribing to traditional notions of a postsecondary track, (2) reimagine student success from a PreK-16 perspective, and (3) allocate appropriate financial resources for meaningful innovations to take place.

Designed well, partnerships between universities and K-12 districts can dramatically impact the future of education. These relationships can produce a pipeline of students better prepared for rigorous college-level coursework and better ensure students are equipped to navigate complex education systems. Most importantly, the outcome can empower students and families to have real choices over their postsecondary journeys.