Post-Secondary and Adult Education

Massasoit Community College’s Early Childhood Education Program

In partnership with Self Help, Inc. Massasoit Community College’s Early Childhood Education program, several constituents within UMDI developed a new state-certified apprenticeship program to train candidates to work with children ages birth to five years old. This Childcare Development Associate (CDA) apprenticeship program offers a range of supports and resources to candidates, including 2,000 hours of early childhood classroom experience, college-level classes in childhood development, and access to a job coach, on their way to passing the CDA certification exam.

Program Evaluation for Massachusetts STEM Starter Academy

Implemented from 2013-2025, the Massachusetts STEM Starter Academy (SSA) Initiative worked to attract, retain, and graduate underrepresented students in STEM fields. In close collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) and each of the Commonwealth’s 15 community colleges, UMDI conducted ongoing evaluations and provided timely feedback regarding recruitment, readiness, retention, and completion of SSA participants. Evaluation results played an important role in supporting continuous improvement at the program, campus, and system levels, as well as informed new students support initiatives including the community college SUCCESS program, introduced in 2021, and that program’s expansion to the state university system announced in January 2025.

Study of Effective College Access and Success Practices

In anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on race-conscious admissions in higher education in 2024, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education (EOE) partnered with UMDI to conduct a survey and focus groups on topics related to historically and currently underrepresented students’ transition into and out of college and career. Among other findings, the study surfaced insights into components that make college access and success programs impactful, including engaging students and families early to build awareness, addressing structural and systemic barriers through comprehensive supports, and fostering connections within the college community to strengthen sense of belonging.

Link to report once client releases: Publication page of “Study of Effective College Access and Success Practices"

Evaluation of Massachusetts Adult Education

UMDI conducted a three-phase project with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to gather insights about the experiences of adult education students and staff to inform data-driven system-level improvements. The project resulted in strategic insights that will guide DESE in future planning, including recommendations for a five-year system-level monitoring and evaluation plan.