For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Media Contact:
Dan O’Brien, Chief Communications Officer
Worcester Public Schools
Press Release
Statewide Early College Program Expansion Announced in Event at Worcester Technical High School
Worcester Public Schools Student Participation Increased 90% in Three Years
WORCESTER – Wednesday, June 3, 2026 – Massachusetts Education Secretary Stephen Zrike announced the largest expansion in state history of Early College partnerships following a roundtable event with students at Worcester Technical High School on Wednesday, June 3. Worcester Public Schools (WPS) is one of the largest adopters of Early College partnerships, increasing student participation from 714 in 2023 to 1,362 in 2026.
On behalf of Governor Maura Healey’s administration, Zrike announced the approval of 29 new Early College partnerships with 1,629 additional seats statewide this coming fall. The expansion followed a vote by the Early College Joint Committee of the Boards of Higher Education and Elementary and Secondary Education.
“The Worcester Public Schools is proud to be a district with one of the largest Early College participation rates in the state, increasing from 714 students in 2023 to 1,362 students in 2026,” said Brian E. Allen, Superintendent of the Worcester Public Schools. “Early College Worcester reflects everything we believe about what education should do for our students — open doors, build confidence, and create real pathways to opportunity.”
Worcester Public Schools is a founding partner of Early College Worcester, a collaborative program with Quinsigamond Community College and Worcester State University that has served thousands of WPS students since 2018.
Through Early College, high school students across all seven WPS high schools earn free college credits while still in high school — graduating with a meaningful head start on their postsecondary education. This year, 100 students in grade 12 are graduating with 12 or more college credits and will arrive at college with a full semester already completed.
“Early College Worcester has long served as a model for what is possible when school districts, community colleges, and universities work together in service of students. We are proud of what this community has built — and excited for what comes next,” said Dan St. Louis, Director of the WPS Early College Program.
The Healey administration previously released a data analysis that shows the state’s investment in Early College is paying off. Sixty-six percent of Early College graduates immediately enroll in higher education after high school, with the majority enrolling at a public college or university in Massachusetts. Once enrolled in higher education, former Early College are persisting - with 87 percent staying in college through a second term and 82 percent returning to college for a second year.
WPS students who are interested in participating in Early College Worcester can speak to their guidance counselor or email Mr. St. Louis.
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