Persisting Through the Pandemic and Beyond - Trends in the college enrollment, persistence, and completion experiences of Boston Public Schools graduates

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

Report presenting updated evidence on college enrollment, persistence, and completion outcomes for Boston Public Schools (BPS) graduates. It covers enrollment trends from the BPS Classes of 2015–2025, including shifts after pandemic-era remote learning and closures. Completion analyses update six-year outcomes for the BPS Classes of 2018 and 2019, cohorts disrupted shortly after enrollment by COVID-19. Findings are framed with attention to changes in graduating-class size and composition and their implications for interpretation and policy use.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages37

Reading Time1 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

Overview and Report Highlights

Report Highlights

Data Sources

College Enrollment and Persistence Trends of BPS Graduates

College Enrollment Trends by Gender and Race-Ethnicity

College Enrollment Trends of BPS Graduates by Type of Institution

Community College Enrollment Trends Following MassEducate Expansion

College Persistence: Trends in One-Year Persistence

College Completion Experiences of BPS Graduates

College Completion Experiences of BPS Class of 2019 Graduates by Gender, Race-Ethnicity, and Selected Student Populations

College Completion by Type of High School

College Completion by Type of College Attended

National Comparisons: BPS College Completion Rates and U.S. Completion Rates

Discussion and Implications for Policy and Practice

Conclusion

Appendix A

Appendix B

End notes

Persisting Through the Pandemic and Beyond: Trends in the college enrollment, persistence, and completion experiences of Boston Public Schools graduates About the Boston Foundation The Boston Foundation is one of the nation’s first and most impactful community foundations. Partnering with community members, donors, government, businesses, and nonprofits, we work to improve lives and strengthen communities. Whether responding to crisis or threat, protecting established rights and newly made progress, or reimagining how to reduce systemic disparities, our eye is always on reaching a more equitable future. To support, contribute to, and create well-being and opportunity within our communities, we collect data, commission research, share knowledge, forge partnerships, fuel new ideas, and fund change. Our work informs public policy, catalyzes conversations, and galvanizes support for advancing equity and repairing inequity’s historical harms. As one of New England’s largest grantmakers, TBF supports nonprofit organizations in Greater Boston through our endowment and works closely with our donors to fund nonprofits locally, nationally, and internationally. For more, visit [tbf.org](tbf.org). About the Boston Private Industry Council The Boston Private Industry Council – also known as the PIC – is the city’s workforce development board, appointed by Mayor Michelle Wu, and its school-to-career intermediary organization. The PIC is one of the Commonwealth’s 16 MassHire Workforce Boards. For more than 45 years, the PIC has worked at the intersection of education and workforce development to connect Boston residents to promising career pathways, while creating a diverse talent pipeline for local employers. As a nonprofit organization, the PIC hires and deploys front-line staff to work directly with priority populations in order to create a tight loop between policy and practice, continuously informed by data analysis and research. For more information, [visit: www.bostonpic.org](visit: www.bostonpic.org). Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank Marsha Inniss-Mitchell, Executive Director of Postsecondary Initiatives, Boston Public Schools (BPS), for serving as the BPS research sponsor for this project. In addition, we are grateful to the BPS Office of Data & Accountability team for reviewing research proposals and for preparing the data files used in this research. This report would not be possible without support from the Boston Foundation. A special thanks to Antoniya Marinova for reviewing drafts and providing feedback to improve the final report. Last, but not least, a special thanks to our colleagues Inanna Pickering and Eliabeth McGinn for reviewing drafts and providing helpful comments and edits. Cover Photograph: Andre Hunter / Unsplash © 2026 by the Boston Foundation. All rights reserved. Persisting Through the Pandemic and Beyond: Trends in the college enrollment, persistence, and completion experiences of Boston Public Schools graduates Prepared for Boston Public Schools and The Boston Foundation Prepared by Joseph McLaughlin Erik Barajas Boston Private Industry Council With support from The Boston Foundation Contents Overview and Report Highlights ........................................... 3 Report Highlights .......................................................... 4 Data Sources ............................................................... 7 College Enrollment and Persistence Trends of BPS Graduates............. 8 College Enrollment Trends by Gender and Race-Ethnicity ...................... 9 College Enrollment Trends of BPS Graduates by Type of Institution ............. 11 Community College Enrollment Trends Following MassEducate Expansion ..... 12 College Persistence: Trends in One-Year Persistence .......................... 13 College Completion Experiences of BPS Graduates....................... 14 College Completion Experiences of BPS Class of

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the report?

To provide a comprehensive update on college enrollment, persistence, and completion trends for Boston Public Schools graduates, focusing on recent changes after peak pandemic disruptions.

Which BPS graduating classes are analyzed for enrollment and completion?

Enrollment trends cover BPS Classes of 2015 to 2025, while completion outcomes focus on the BPS Classes of 2018 and 2019.

Why are the 2018 and 2019 class years especially important?

They are of particular interest because they had to persist through COVID-19 pandemic disruptions shortly after enrolling in college.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake