A new report outlines a strategic blueprint to expand access, improve student outcomes, and strengthen the public higher education system in Massachusetts
November 13, 2025 by EdTrust-Massachusetts 
By 2031, nearly 75% of jobs in Massachusetts are projected to require education beyond high school, making college and career training essential to the Commonwealth’s economic future. Yet too many students—especially those from underserved communities—face deep and persistent barriers to enrollment, retention, and completion, leaving them without the opportunities they need to succeed in higher education and the workforce.
To address these challenges, EdTrust in Massachusetts–in partnership with the Collaborative for Higher Education Access & Opportunity (CHEAO)–released a new report, “Laying the Groundwork: Building a Policy Roadmap for Massachusetts Public Higher Education.” Developed in collaboration with leading researchers, policy advocates, and practitioners from the Hildreth Institute, OneGoal, Latinos for Education, MassINC, and uAspire, the report outlines a strategic blueprint to expand access, improve student outcomes, and strengthen the state’s public higher education system.
In recent years, Massachusetts has taken bold action to expand access to higher education. Landmark initiatives—including historic investments in the expansion of MassGrant Plus, the launch of MassReconnect, the passage of tuition equity legislation, and the introduction of MassEducate—have built a strong foundation for a more accessible, inclusive, and affordable public higher education system across the state.
However, these gains now face serious pressure. Federal threats to higher education are creating new barriers for students, while both public and private colleges and universities nationwide—and especially in Massachusetts—are confronting long-term enrollment declines that threaten both institutional stability and the state’s innovation-driven economy.
Despite these challenges, Massachusetts stands at a historic crossroads. In FY25, the Commonwealth collected $2.98 billion through the voter-approved Fair Share surtax, revenue that must be invested in education and transportation, and provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect recent progress, counteract federal setbacks, and reimagine higher education as a public good that works for every student.
The roadmap lays out a comprehensive, forward-looking framework to ensure that Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities remain accessible, affordable, and accountable. Organized around four core pillars —each addressing critical dimensions of higher education equity and effectiveness — the roadmap identifies existing challenges and offers preliminary recommendations to guide future policy decisions and build on recent state-level progress.
The four pillars include:
“After years of underinvestment in public higher education, Massachusetts has begun charting a new course that invests in student opportunity and the Commonwealth’s future workforce,” said Bahar Akman Imboden, Managing Director at Hildreth Institute. “The four key pillars of this collective roadmap are essential to closing opportunity gaps, from access to success to degree value, and the organizations partnered here are uniquely positioned to help advance this vision through data-driven, evidence-based action.”
When considering implications of these initial recommendations, Jorge Fanjul, Executive Director of Latinos for Education Massachusetts, stated that “access to postsecondary education can be truly transformative, particularly for students who are the first in their families to go to college”, further pointing out that “education provides opportunities for students to decide their destiny.”
“Getting students in the postsecondary door is a critical, initial step in a much longer journey,” said Femi Stoltz, Director of Policy at uAspire. “College has to be affordable; that is essential to getting students from enrollment to graduation.”
Amanda Seider, Executive Director of OneGoal, pointed to additional elements critical to college completion, noting, “For many students, college is just one of several priorities they are juggling. That’s why wraparound supports, specifically advising and navigational support, are critical to student success and completion.”
“Massachusetts has made real progress expanding access and affordability, but these gains are at risk,” said Jennie Williamson, State Director of EdTrust in Massachusetts. “Federal cuts to student aid, shifting immigration policies, and new funding restrictions threaten the safety nets and inclusive campus environments that thousands of students depend on to earn their degrees—especially those from underserved backgrounds. However, with bold, strategic investments, Massachusetts can safeguard against these threats while building a public higher education system that is accessible, affordable, and built for long-term student success”.
“To get the most from these investments, Massachusetts will need a serious data strategy,” said Ben Forman, Director of the MassINC Policy Center. “A fourth pillar of the roadmap is harnessing new technologies to give policymakers, educators, and students and families better information so they can make fully informed choices.”
The release of the roadmap marks the beginning of a broader, ongoing effort. In the months ahead, EdTrust in MA and its CHEAO partners are committed to expanding community-driven conversations on the roadmap, refining the framework and recommendations further, and translating shared ideas into strategic investments and actionable policy recommendations grounded in community and stakeholder voices.
Higher education is at the heart of Massachusetts’ success, and maintaining momentum is critical to ensure that every student has the opportunity to participate and thrive.
