From Classroom to Career: A Forum on Setting a New Vision for High School in Massachusetts

On October 21, 2025, the Boston Foundation, in partnership with the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE), convened a dynamic forum titled “From Classroom to Career” to explore how high schools can better prepare students for success in college, careers, and life. The event brought together state, district, and school leaders, educators, employers, and nonprofit partners to discuss bold strategies for transforming secondary education across the Commonwealth.

Opening the forum, Orlando Watkins, Chief Program Officer at the Boston Foundation, emphasized the Foundation’s commitment to equity and its belief that high-quality, accessible college and career pathways are essential to unlocking student potential. “Schools must evolve to ensure students graduate as informed, confident, skilled contributors and critical thinkers,” Watkins said.

Ed Lambert, Executive Director of MBAE, framed the conversation around the need for a statewide, coordinated movement to redesign high schools. “Tomorrow is here,” Lambert declared, noting that while many schools are innovating, their efforts remain isolated. He called for a new vision grounded in student agency, relevance, and real-world preparation, where the high school diploma becomes a launching pad—not a finish line.

Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Pedro Martinez delivered a powerful keynote, highlighting the urgency of the moment. Presenting recent MCAS data, Martinez revealed that no student group in Massachusetts has returned to pre-pandemic achievement levels. “We have significant achievement gaps and no group at pre-pandemic levels,” he said, calling for renewed focus on student achievement.

Martinez outlined DESE’s educational vision, emphasizing three priorities: ensuring students are known and valued, helping them see connections between learning and life, and elevating academic outcomes. He championed early college programs as a transformative strategy, citing his success in Texas and Chicago, where thousands of students graduated high school with associate degrees. “Early college is going to be the future of education,” he said, expressing his goal to expand Massachusetts’ early college enrollment from 10,000 to 100,000 students.

He also praised the state’s investment in Career Technical Education (CTE) and advocated for stackable credentials that allow students to build on their skills over time. “Our children continue to grow and evolve,” Martinez said. “We must give them pathways that support lifelong learning.”

Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper echoed Martinez’s urgency and emphasized the importance of student agency. “For the first time, kids are using their feet to demand change,” she said, referencing the rise in chronic absenteeism and disengagement. Skipper stressed that students need a clear sense of purpose to stay engaged.

She outlined BPS’s efforts to create an ecosystem of choice, access, and opportunity across all high schools. Central to this vision is MyCAP, a multi-year postsecondary planning tool that begins in middle school and involves families, educators, and industry partners. Skipper also highlighted new policies requiring high schools to clearly communicate their offerings, helping students make informed decisions aligned with their goals.