Direct the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) to develop a plan to expand the UPlan to further encourage low and moderate income participation.

Access and Pipeline

 The Task Force recommends that a partnership group be established among Nellie Mae, MEFA, the Department of Education, the Board of Higher Education, and the “Reach Higher” initiative to improve the pipeline for underserved and nontraditional students and ease the transition between high school and higher education.

The Task Force also recommends the appropriation of $1 million for a program to leverage and match funds for programs that address the pipeline issue.

The Task Force also recommends the reestablishment of the “Dual Enrollment” program to provide students who are at risk of dropping out of high school an opportunity to go to a community college for courses not offered in their high school. The program was successfully operated through DOE, the community colleges, and various municipalities. The new program should also allow the community college to take the courses into the high schools if numbers allowed. This program was last funded in FY2001 for $1.78 million.

One of the most successful transition programs is the ABE to College Transition Initiative. It provides strong support to adult learners so that they can enter community college and it should be expanded to all 15 community colleges. The Task Force
recommends an appropriation of $2 million for this initiative.