Boston Public Schools Hosts 17th Annual Countdown to Kindergarten Celebration

Boston Public Schools Hosts 17th Annual Countdown to Kindergarten Celebration

Preparing Students for Kindergarten

Boston, MA. - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - The Boston Public Schools hosted the 17th Annual Countdown to Kindergarten Celebration yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, August 30, at Boston Children's Museum. Mayor Martin J. Walsh, members of the Boston School Committee, Superintendent Tommy Chang, and more than 2,000 kindergartners were in attendance. "Boston continues to place a strong emphasis on early education among our youngest residents," said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "It's never too early for children to begin learning, and I'm proud to join families and educators in supporting our shared vision for robust early education." The celebration was a free, citywide event that welcomed first time kindergartners and their families from across the city. "Every year, the Committee looks forward to welcoming hundreds of our youngest students into Boston Public Schools," said Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael O'Neill. "The Committee is grateful to everyone, including all of our community partners, for making the celebration a huge success." The new kindergarteners wore their infamous "I'm going to kindergarten!" yellow t-shirts - and took part in an afternoon of activities, food and fun-- all in preparation for their first day of school. "We are thrilled to be a partner of Countdown to Kindergarten since its inception," said Jeri Robinson, Boston Children's Museum's Vice President of Early Learning Initiatives and Boston School Committee Member. "It really is heartwarming to watch the kids and families embark on their educational journey." Participants were able to enjoy free access to the Museum's exhibits, pose questions and have them answered by BPS personnel, and take advantage of free dental and vision screenings. This event was made possible by event sponsors, which include: Cradles to Crayons, Boston Children's Hospital, MEFA, Whole Foods Markets,and WGBH/the Krueger Foundation. Other partnering organizations include the Boston Public Health Commission, the Boston Public Library, the Boston University School of Dental Medicine, New England Eye On-Sight Mobile Vision Clinic, and many more. "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Boston Children's Museum, and all of our key sponsors who share in our vision of preparing students for success at Boston Public Schools," said Superintendent Tommy Chang. "Part of achieving increased access to early education is building a community around closing opportunity and achievement gaps, and developing the whole child. It is evident that our families and students are excited, and we look forward to providing them with all of the support necessary for their success this year." Each kindergartner will leave with a backpack full of school supplies and families will have the opportunity to participate in mini-readiness workshops - stations led by BPS teachers where children and their families can learn how to use materials typically used in the classroom to support their learning at home. "Countdown to Kindergarten continues to be moved by all the excitement around the annual citywide celebration that welcomes our youngest scholars to BPS," said Director of Countdown to Kindergarten Sonia Gomez-Banrey. "We would like to extend a special thanks to all our partners that help make the event possible and most importantly, congratulate our parents for choosing BPS and remaining engaged throughout their child's educational career."

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Grants to Improve and Protect Coastal Water Quality

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Grants to Improve and Protect

Coastal Water Quality

BOSTON – August 31, 2016 – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $346,292 in grants to support local efforts to address and treat polluted runoff from roads and paved surfaces to protect coastal water quality. The grants, provided by the Office of Coastal Zone Management’s (CZM) Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grant Program, were awarded to Medford, Milton, Plymouth, Salem and Yarmouth.

“Our administration is committed to supporting efforts across the Commonwealth to protect the environment and keep coastal waters clean,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These grants provide direct funding to municipalities to work at the local level to address sources of pollution impacting waterways and ultimately the coast.”

“These projects underscore the dedication of our cities and towns to water quality protection,”said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “I applaud the ingenuity and commitment that each community receiving a grant has to ensure that polluted runoff does not enter streams, rivers and ultimately our ocean waters.”

“Massachusetts is home to some of the most beautiful coastline in the world,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “To help protect this important resource, Coastal Pollutant Remediation grants provide funding to towns and cities throughout the coastal watershed to improve water quality, support healthy ecosystems and ensure that beaches and shellfish beds remain open for the public to enjoy.”

The goal of CZM’s Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grant Program is to improve coastal water quality by reducing or eliminating nonpoint sources of pollution. This type of pollution primarily occurs when contaminants are picked up by rain, snow melt and other flowing water and carried over land, in groundwater or through drainage systems to the nearest body of water and ultimately out to the sea. Nonpoint source pollution impacts water quality and coastal habitat and reduces opportunities to harvest shellfish and swim due to mandated closures.

“For the last 20 years, CZM’s Coastal Pollutant Remediation Grant Program has provided funding and technical assistance for community-based efforts to protect coastal water quality,”said CZM Director Bruce Carlisle. “This year’s grants highlight the commitment of our cities and towns to keeping nonpoint source pollution from degrading our coasts, and CZM continues to be a proud partner in these efforts.”

The following five projects have been funded through this year’s grants:

Medford - $125,000 - The City of Medford, in partnership with the Mystic River Watershed Association, will construct a gravel wetland to treat contaminated stormwater runoff from a municipal parking lot to reduce nutrients and sediment reaching the Mystic River. This project will improve water quality in the river, preserving critical habitat for river herring, and builds on previous work to prioritize stormwater treatment sites in the watershed.

Milton - $17,752 - The Town of Milton, in partnership with the Neponset River Watershed Association, will design stormwater treatment systems at four locations to treat polluted runoff to Unquity Brook. The project, informed by a thorough  assessment of pollution sources, will lead to improved water quality and habitat in Gulliver’s Creek, part of the Neponset River Estuary Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), which has been recognized by the state for its environmental importance.

Plymouth - $59,910 - The Town of Plymouth, in partnership with the Herring Ponds Watershed Association, will advance a stormwater assessment conducted in 2015 to design and permit stormwater treatment systems at two priority locations. This project will improve water quality in Great Herring Pond and preserve critical habitat for river herring in the active run that links the pond to the Cape Cod Canal.

Salem - $78,680 - The City of Salem, in partnership with Salem Sound Coastwatch, will design and permit stormwater treatment systems at Winter Island Park. The work implements elements of a comprehensive Master Plan for the park area. When constructed, these treatment systems will decrease the polluted stormwater runoff that reaches Salem Sound and Salem Harbor.

Yarmouth  - $64,950 - The Town of Yarmouth will design and construct a gravel bioretention stormwater treatment system. Using this emerging technology, this pilot project will treat bacteria and nitrogen that are degrading local waters. The project will serve as a model for other communities interested in addressing these pollutants. 

“I applaud the work and partnership of the City of Salem and Salem Sound Coastwatch, and thank the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for this grant award,” stated State Senator Joan Lovely (D-Salem). “Winter Island and Salem Harbor are important natural resources. This grant will expand and support city efforts to protect its waterfront to help ensure clean water, a healthy environment and active public use.”

“Salem is grateful to receive these funds to continue our commitment to keeping Winter Island a clean recreational space to be enjoyed by residents and visitors to our beautiful coastline,” said State Representative Paul Tucker (D-Salem). “The Baker-Polito Administration recognizes Salem is committed to keeping our waterfront open and clean in collaboration with Salem Sound Coastwatch.”

“While we still have a ways to go, great progress has been made to clean up the Mystic River,”said State Senator Patricia D. Jehlen (D-Somerville). “This grant will help continue that effort so we can reclaim the river as the unpolluted natural recreational escape it should be.”

“This grant will provide critical resources to ensure the water quality of the Mystic River continues on a path to improvement,” said State Representative Christine Barber (D-Somerville). “I am glad to see Medford and the Mystic River Watershed Association working in partnership to prioritize stormwater treatment.”

“This grant will allow the Mystic River Watershed Association to construct an important project as they continue to do outstanding work in this very important environmental area,” said State Representative Paul Donato (D-Medford).

“I am pleased by the administration’s decision to award a CPR grant to the City of Medford,”said State Representative Sean Garballey (D-Arlington). “This vital funding will assist the City in maintaining watershed quality and upholding its commitment to the preservation of our natural resources.”

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) is the lead policy and planning agency on coastal and ocean issues within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Through planning, technical and grant assistance and public information programs, CZM seeks to balance the impacts of human activity with the protection of coastal and marine resources. The agency’s work includes helping coastal communities address the challenges of storms, sea level rise and other effects of climate change; working with state, regional and federal partners to balance current and new uses of ocean waters while protecting ocean habitats and promoting sustainable economic development; and partnering with communities and other organizations to protect and restore coastal water quality and habitats.

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MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR ACADEMIC PARTNER WITH THE BOSTON WOMEN'S WORKFORCE COUNCIL

BOSTON - Tuesday August 30, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a request for proposal (RFP) seeking an academic partner for theBoston Women's Workforce Council (BWWC). The academic partner will house and support the Executive Director of the BWWC and bring academic and research resources of the chosen institution to support the gender equality goals of the Council. "Closing the gender wage gap is the right thing to do. It's good for businesses' bottom line and is important to the vitality of Boston's economy. More than 160 businesses that have signed the 100% Talent compact, and it's the reason Boston is on track to become the first city in the nation to close the gender wage gap," said Mayor Walsh. "We look forward to collaborating with an academic partner to add students, professors and researchers to the work of the Boston Women's Workforce Council. Together, we will harness Boston's vibrant economy, and create a premier city for working women." The BWWC, a business-led and funded public-private partnership between Mayor Walsh and the Greater Boston Business community, is charged with implementing the 100% Talent Compact. The 100% Compact is a first-in-the-nation program in which businesses pledge to take concrete, measurable steps to eliminate the wage gap in their company and to report their progress and employee demographic and salary data anonymously every two years. The 100% Compact is essential to making Boston the best city in America for working women by ensuring all working women are paid equitably and given equal opportunity. "I thank Mayor Walsh and the business community for their commitment to closing the gender wage gap," said Evelyn Murphy, co-chair of the Boston Women's Workforce Council and former Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. "By formally engaging with an academic partner this enables the BWWC to incorporate outstanding academic resources in our work." "Given the growth and success of the BWWC over the past few years it is critical for us to add to the capacity of our work," said Cathy E. Minehan, co-chair of the Boston Women's Workforce Council. "Formally adding an academic partner is an important step, but one that also recognizes the support of the business community for their commitment to close the gender wage gap. " The request for proposal can be found on the City of Boston's supplier portalwith the identification number EV00003516.

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BOSTON-BASED ENGINEERING FIRM TO PAY $5.5 MILLION OVER CLAIMS IT FAILED TO PROPERLY OVERSEE CONSTRUCTION OF PLUM ISLAND’S WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM

Multi-Million Dollar Repair Fund Will Enable Newburyport to Remediate Corrosion in Water System and Implement Critical Improvements to Sewer System

            BOSTON – A Boston-based engineering firm will pay $5.5 million to settle allegations it failed in its obligations to adequately oversee construction of Plum Island’s water and sewer systems, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. 

Construction of the systems, which are maintained by the City of Newburyport, was funded through loans from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (MassDEP) Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. 

“This company failed to take the necessary steps to make certain that this project was built in accordance with its own technical specifications,” said AG Healey.  “We are pleased that we could come to an agreement that provides Newburyport with the resources needed to undertake needed repairs and ensure the integrity of Plum Island’s critical infrastructure.”

According to today’s settlement, CDM Smith, Inc. (CDM) will pay the state $5.5 million, of which $5.3 million will be paid to the City of Newburyport and placed in a trust fund earmarked for costs and expenses related to the repair, modification, or optimization of Plum Island’s water and sewer systems. 

“I’m grateful to the Attorney General for all of her office’s work on this and for helping us reach an agreement that will provide our city with the resources necessary to repair this system,” said Newburyport Mayor Donna Holaday.

“The contractor on this water and sewer project failed to oversee and manage its installation, resulting in serious repair costs and service disruption for residents,” said Inspector General Glenn A. Cunha. “I thank the Attorney General’s office for pursuing and achieving a settlement that holds the contractor accountable.”

“The city has been working hard to manage their systems,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “Today’s settlement will ensure that Newburyport can make the needed improvements.” 

 “Serious problems with the water and sewer infrastructure on Plum Island have been deeply concerning for some time now, and they need to be properly addressed,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Fortunately the Attorney General, working with the Mayor and other local officials, have secured a path forward that will bring accountability for those charged with overseeing the project and the resources needed to correct the defects that have us all concerned.”

"I greatly appreciate Mayor Holaday's focus on this matter, the strong advocacy of Attorney General's Office attorneys, as well as the efforts of the state's Inspector General's Office," said Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives (D-Newburyport).

“I am glad to see this come to a close and I know that the residents of Plum Island are too,” said Rep. James Kelcourse, (R-Amesbury).  “So many people worked hard to get to this point and we are grateful to them for it."  

"As someone who is in the construction business I very much want to see contractors who do work for the Commonwealth be held responsible for their actions,” said Rep. Lenny Mirra, (R-West Newbury). “Residents and taxpayers will be glad to know that we have an Attorney General's office that will work with elected officials to protect our interests."

In 2000 and 2002, CDM won contracts to design and oversee construction of a water and sewer system for Plum Island, a barrier island that includes parts of the City of Newburyport and the Town of Newbury, with more than 1,200 homes. Under the two contracts, CDM wrote the technical specifications for the project, including a requirement that ductile iron pipe be wrapped in polyethylene to inhibit corrosion. CDM also acted as the on-site agent to ensure that the contractors responsible for building the project did so in accordance with CDM’s specifications.

The AG’s Office commenced its investigation after an initial investigation by the Office of the Inspector General following a 2011 water main break revealed that ductile iron pipes at the site of the break had not been wrapped in polyethylene and were severely corroded. Today’s settlement resolves the AG’s allegations that CDM: did not conform to its design and construction oversight obligations; did not properly familiarize its on-site agents with the ductile iron specification; and did not ensure that contractors abide by those specifications, thereby exposing critical components of the system to corrosive elements.  

            This case was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Gillian Feiner, Chief of AG Healey’s False Claims Division and Betsy Harper, Deputy Chief of AG Healey’s Environmental Protection Division, with assistance from Assistant Attorney General Justin Lowe and Paralegal Krista Roche.  Additional critical assistance was provided by Eric Worrall, David Ferris, and Thomas Mahin of MassDEP and Pamela Talbot, Director of MassDEP’s Environmental Crimes Strike Force.

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CONGRESSMAN LIEU LEADS BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO POSTPONE ARMS SALE TO SAUDI ARABIA

WASHINGTON - Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles County) led a bipartisan group of 64 Members of Congress in sending a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to postpone the sale of new arms to Saudi Arabia. The goal is to give Congress sufficient time to debate the merits of the deal in light of the Saudi-led Coalition’s operational conduct in Yemen. The letter is co-led by Reps. Ted Yoho (R-FL), John Conyers (D-MI), and Mick Mulvaney (R-SC). Congressman Lieu has previously raised concerns about the Coalition’s killing of civilians in letters to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last September and to Secretaries John Kerry and Ash Carter in March. He has also introducedlegislation to establish new guidelines for weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.

QUOTE FROM REP. LIEU:
“The actions of the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen are as reprehensible as they are illegal. The multiple, repeated airstrikes on civilians look like war crimes. Hospitals, schools, and wedding parties are not legitimate military targets. Saudi Arabia is either intentionally targeting civilians or deliberately indifferent in executing its military operations – either case flies in the face of long-standing international standards of conduct. The United States of America should never support such atrocities in any way. They are not only immoral and unlawful, but they seriously harm our national security and moral standing around the world.”

EXCERPT FROM LETTER:
“The [Saudi’s] military campaign has had a deeply troubling impact on civilians . . . Any decision to sell more arms to Saudi Arabia should be given adequate time for full deliberation by Congress. We are concerned, however, that the timing of this notification during the August congressional recess could be interpreted to mean that Congress has little time to consider the arms deal when it returns from recess within the 30 day window established by law.”

FULL LIST OF CO-SIGNERS:Amash, Bass, Blumenauer, Beyer, Brownley, Capps, Capuano, Chu, Cicilline, Clark (MA), Cleaver II, Cohen, Conyers, Crowley, Danny Davis, DeFazio, Doggett, Edwards, Ellison, Eshoo, Farr, Gabbard, Grayson, Grijalva, Hastings, Honda, Huffman, Jones, Hank Johnson, Keating, Lee, Lewis, Lieu, Loebsack, Lofgren, Lowenthal, Lujan, Lynch, Nolan, McDermott, McGovern, Moore, Mulvaney, Nadler, Napolitano, Neal, Norton, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne Jr., Peterson, Pingree, Pocan, Polis, Price, Rush, Schakowsky, Tonko, Tsongas, Van Hollen, Watson Coleman, Wilson, Yarmuth, Yoho

ENDORSED BY: 
Oxfam, Amnesty International USA, International Christian Concern, Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers), Just Foreign Policy, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom, Yemen Peace Project, Human Rights Watch, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Physicians for Human Rights, Christian Solidarity Worldwide – UK, In Defense of Christians, Jubilee Campaign USA, The Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom, International Christian Concern

THE TEXT OF THE LETTER CAN BE FOUND HERE.

Quincy Police Lieutenant Charged with Defrauding his Department

BOSTON – A Lieutenant with the Quincy Police Department was charged in an indictment unsealed today in connection with collecting double pay while working for the Quincy Police Department in 2015.

Thomas Corliss, 51, was indicted on 12 counts of mail fraud and one count of fraud involving federal funds.  Corliss was released on conditions following an appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal.

As alleged in the indictment, an internal investigation by the Quincy Police Department revealed that Lieutenant Corliss had fraudulently collected double pay for working multiple details and/or police shifts that overlapped on multiple occasions in 2015.  It is also alleged that Corliss collected his regular pay while on vacation in the Bahamas and on Cape Cod in 2015.  In total, Corliss’s defrauded the QPD of more than $10,000. 

The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  The charge of fraud involving federal funds provides for a sentence of no great than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of 250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Ronald G. Gardella, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao and Ryan DiSantis of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations.  The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law. 

EXPERIMENTAL PLAZA TO "POP UP" IN DOWNTOWN CROSSING

EXPERIMENTAL PLAZA TO "POP UP" IN DOWNTOWN CROSSING

Morning of coffee on temporarily expanded sidewalk will allow engineers and planners to study design of future plaza on Franklin St.

BOSTON - Monday, August 29, 2016 - The Boston Transportation Department (BTD) is experimenting with widening sidewalks to create a plaza at the intersection of Franklin Street and Arch Street in Downtown Crossing. Planters and fencing will create a temporary plaza space that will be filled with tables and chairs from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM on Tuesday, August 30. Visitors can stop in to drink coffee while looking at possible designs for the space while engineers monitor traffic and anticipate issues that need to be addressed in future designs. BTD is working with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the Public Works Department, the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District and Millennium Partners to implement the pilot project and upcoming phases. The architecture firm Höweler + Yoon has been commissioned by Millennium Partners to develop the designs for the next phase of the experiment. "We recognize that Downtown Crossing is an area of the city where most people get around on foot -- and we want to create a better walking environment for them," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "This experiment is one of the many initiatives created by the City to ensure Boston is a welcoming destination for all pedestrians." The intersection of Franklin Street and Arch Street is particularly wide because it was once the location of architect Charles Bulfinch's Tontine Crescent. In the 1790s, a series of row houses was built on a curve, and the wider area in the middle of the street was a small park with trees. Though the buildings were demolished in the 1850s, the shape of the street remains. "With the T station at Franklin and Washington reopening soon, we know foot traffic will pick up on this street," said Chris Osgood, City of Boston Chief of Streets. "We're taking a tactical approach to improving this area for pedestrians. In the future we can imagine a whole network of parks and plazas from Shopper's Plaza to Post Office Square and on to the Greenway." Franklin Street currently accommodates two lanes of westbound travel and a right turn lane at Arch between Devonshire and Hawley Streets as well as handicap and commercial parking. The pilot project will look at the traffic capacity needs for both blocks and the opportunity spaces to create better pedestrian accommodations as well as seating and shade. "This is an opportunity to look at the urban design and engineering considerations that need to be factored into the final design," said Gina Fiandaca, Boston's Transportation Commissioner. "We want to watch the changes in real time and be sure that we meet the needs of all road users in a permanent plaza."

MA Department of Higher Education Awards $910k in Dual Enrollment Grants to Public Campuses

MA Department of Higher Education Awards $910k in Dual Enrollment Grants to Public Campuses

Funds Will Allow More Local High School Students to Take Early College Courses,

Earn Credits Toward Post-Secondary Degrees

Boston, MA – August 29, 2016 – Just in time for the start of a new academic year, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education has awarded $910,000 in individual grants to 22 public colleges and universities to expand opportunities for high school students to get a jump start on college.

Grants funded through the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP) will allow students to take free or low-cost college courses at local campuses and, in some cases, attend classes taught on location at their high schools or on line. CDEP students earn college credit  toward an associate or bachelor’s degree, often saving thousands of dollars in the process. Along with cost savings, research shows that dual enrollment courses help prepare students for the rigor and expectations of college-level work, making the experience especially valuable for 1st generation students and economically disadvantaged students who may not have access to college preparatory experiences and opportunities. In Massachusetts dual enrollment students who enroll in community colleges are 50% less likely to require developmental (remedial) classes compared to their peers who had not taken a dual enrollment course.

“We are thrilled to be able to help these students earn college credit as they start to develop their career pathways,” said Education Secretary Jim Peyser. “Dual enrollment is an important part of our administration’s broader commitment to expanding early college experiences.”

“As a new academic year begins, we want to open the dual enrollment doors as wide as possible, serving as many students as we can,” said Carlos E. Santiago, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education. “We know that this experience is a game-changer for young people, especially those who come from families where no one has attended college before. The program also strengthens the partnerships between high schools and local colleges, allowing for meaningful collaborations that support student success.”

Last year, CDEP funding provided for the enrollment of slightly more than 2,000 students. This year’s projected enrollment is 3,380. The primary goal of the fiscal year 2017 funding is to “increase dual enrollment of underrepresented students, which may include first-generation college students, low-income or economically disadvantaged students, students of color, and particularly male students of color.”

The following colleges and universities are among those chosen to receive funding:

The University of Massachusetts Boston will give students in Boston and Quincy an opportunity to enroll in a 2-semester course sequence, allowing them to adjust to college-level math work in the familiar setting of their own high school before taking a second course at the UMass Boston campus.

Fitchburg State University will expand its partnerships with area high schools to include Leominster High School, and will offer courses to groups (cohorts) of students in the late afternoon and on Saturdays to accommodate their schedules.

The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will partner with the city of Pittsfield and Berkshire  Community College to create a summer academy for students who will earn up to six college credits.

Bristol Community College, which annually serves the largest number of dual enrollment students in the state, will include early college awareness activities, campus visits and financial aid workshops to raise the college aspirations of the students in Fall River and New Bedford, communities which have some of the lowest educational attainment levels in the U.S. for cities of their sizes.  

Holyoke Community College will launch a new, three-tiered College Now program for sophomores, juniors and seniors at targeted local high schools. The college is one of 44 institutions participating in the U.S. Department of Education’s experimental pilot to allow use of Pell grants for dual enrollment coursework and related expenses.