Wentworth’s Partnership with Dearborn Academy Cited as ‘Force for Equity’

A new report cites Wentworth Institute of Technology and the Center for Community and Learning Partnership’s (CLP) work as a model example for providing early college access to underserved local students.

Recently published by MassINC and State Street, Early College as a Force for Equity in the Post-Pandemic Era examines the disparity between students who are from low-income households and those who are not, with students in the former group two-and-a-half times less likely to complete a college degree.

Early College is a program that allows high school students the chance to earn a high school diploma and either a college associate degree or college credits at the same time. With new government funding available in the wake of the pandemic—including the state’s Student Opportunity Act—now is an advantageous time to create access programs and expand partnerships, according to the report.

One successful partnership is the one forged between Wentworth and Dearborn STEM Academy, a teaching academy within the Boston Public Schools system that educates grades six through 12. The CLP has been working with the Dearborn during the last three years and is only one of three private schools to serve as partners in state-sponsored Early College programs, having received designation this spring.

Dearborn juniors and seniors can focus on one of two innovative pathways at Wentworth: computer science or engineering with a concentration on advanced manufacturing.

The Early College publication interviews Erik Miller, the CLP director about the importance of hands-on exposure to the technology found at Wentworth, as well as the challenges of a university course. Below is an excerpt:

In the first year (2018-2019) of the program, Dearborn students enrolled in 38 college courses, at either Wentworth or Bunker Hill Community College, Dearborn’s other college partner, but earned passing grades in less than half of their attempts. The second year, they took 64 college classes and the passing rate rose to nearly three-quarters. These numbers speak to the rigor of the coursework. As Miller says, “Our goal is not to treat them any differently. We put them in a college class with other college students and we tell faculty to provide them with the same support that you would provide anybody else.” The considerable progress between first-year and second-year completion rates suggests the Early College partners are finding ways to help Dearborn students succeed.

In addition to college course work, Wentworth provides individualized case management to each student, ensuring each participant has access to the available resources and can build self-advocacy as they learn to navigate their first experience on a college campus.

The full Early College as a Force for Equity in the Post-Pandemic Era report can be found as a PDF online.