Wheelock College Receives State Grant for Early College Planning and Coursework

The Wheelock College Aspire Institute, in collaboration with Salem State University (SSU), and Boston International Newcomers Academy (BINcA), has received $140,000 in startup funding from the State of Massachusetts for an early college high school program focused on creating expanded pathways and opportunities for English Language Learners (ELL). The partners will plan, implement, and evaluate program strategies aimed at increasing the number of students who graduate from high school and go on to earn a college degree.

This program will focus on creating pathways through a two tiered, differentiated approach that recognizes the unique levels of support needed across ELL in grades 11-12 and will be piloted at the Boston International Newcomers Academy (BINcA), Boston’s only 100% ELL high school. Nearly all BINcA students are first generation college students.

“Beginning post-secondary experiences early is a critical part of making college an option for students,” said Jacob Murray, executive director of the Aspire Institute. “We thank the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for funding this innovative program that will expand pathways for ELL students and offer key insights and lessons learned to other MA school districts with growing ELL populations.”

“Children from immigrant families often face obstacles to achieving the dream of a college education,” said Salem State University Assistant Professor Chad Leith, a former Boston Public Schools teacher and administrator. “This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to help English learners acquire the skills and gain the momentum they need to make a successful transition from high school to college.”

The first tier offers a gap semester for recent graduates. Students will spend time visiting Wheelock’s campus, taking an English reading, writing and public speaking course, and ‘shadowing ‘an undergraduate mentor, and auditing one of their mentor’s courses. In this way, they will learn and practice the academic rigor, tasks, time management and expectations required for college-level courses. Also, they will complete a service internship with a local nonprofit or industry partner, designed to help them balance school-life demands, practice English, and investigate potential careers of interest. Finally, student and faculty mentors help students identify and apply to post-secondary options.

The second tier will offer dual enrollment courses to qualified BINcA students to allow them to experience college level expectations and earn valuable college credit. Provided by Salem State, these courses will be supplemented with structured supports for ELL, such as individual tutoring and group study sessions. The courses will also be highly transferable when students matriculate to college.

For more information on the Wheelock College Aspire Institute, visit Wheelock.edu/Aspire