Empower Schools Inc.
Project Title
For project support of the New York Alliance for Early College Pathways to advance State policy to expand early college pathways in New York
Date
Jun. 05, 2025
Duration
24 months
Description
Despite decades of effort in both K-12 and higher education policy reform, the gaps in access and success in college remain large and stark in New York, even though we know a four-year college degree continues to be the single best predictor of socioeconomic mobility. The New York Alliance for Early College Pathways (NY4ECP) is a non-partisan, cross-sector initiative formed in 2024, modeled after a successful statewide effort in Massachusetts, which enabled hiring flexibilities central to early college models and secured public funding for early college programs among other critical policy wins, including conferring state designations for twenty-six early college programs across thirty-eight participating high schools and twenty colleges, enabling approximately 4K students to accrue significant amounts of college credit. Corporate support will enable NY4ECP to advance state-level policies that strengthen and expand early college pathway programs over the next two years, grow to include 100 member organizations, and launch a policy fellowship for ten early college alumnae.