Bill
H 4407
Mandates public colleges publish standardized policies for granting college credit from AP, IB, dual enrollment, early college, and coop programs, plus a state-backed early college
Status: Introduced 08/28/2025; reported favorably by House Committee on Higher Education and referred to House Ways & Means. (Document also contains an unrelated South Carolina House resolution honoring Stephen Craig Behr Sr.; see Notes.)
Purpose
- To expand, standardize, and increase transparency around how public Massachusetts institutions award college credit for college-in-high-school experiences (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment, early college, and cooperative education) and to establish a statewide governance and support structure for “early college” partnerships between K–12 districts and institutions of higher education.
Key provisions
1. Credit policy requirements (adds G.L. c.15A, new §39A)
- All public higher education institutions must adopt written policies for granting course credit based on:
- Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores,
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program examinations,
- successful completion of early college courses,
- dual enrollment courses, and
- cooperative education programs.
- Policies must specify minimum qualifying scores, whether credit satisfies general education, major, or elective requirements, and procedures for transferability consistent with MassTransfer goals.
- Institutions must post these policies on their websites in a standardized format set by the Department of Higher Education (DHE) and submit them to DHE for posting.
- Upon request, an admitted student must be notified what credits and requirements would be satisfied under the institution’s policy.
- DHE, with institutional trustees (including UMass), will review institutional credit-granting policies at least once every three years and file findings/recommendations with the Legislature. Institutions must provide necessary data consistent with FERPA.
Who is affected
- Public institutions of higher education in Massachusetts (UMass, state universities, community colleges).
- Local public school districts and participating institutions in early college and dual enrollment partnerships.
- High school students (particularly underrepresented students) seeking college credit before matriculation.
- Department of Higher Education, Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, boards of higher education and elementary & secondary education, and the Secretary of Education.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Draft consolidates several earlier bills (H1430, H1432, H1435, H1441, H1455) per the House Higher Education Committee report filed 08/03/2025.
- Reported favorably by the House committee on Higher Education and referred to House Ways & Means on 08/28/2025.
- Source text in the packet is truncated and also includes an unrelated South Carolina House resolution honoring Stephen Craig Behr Sr. (introduced and adopted 04/24/2025).
Potential impacts
- Greater transparency and predictability for students about college credit earned in high school; potential to shorten time-to-degree and lower tuition costs.
- Improved statewide alignment and transferability of credits (via MassTransfer consistency).
- Administrative workload for institutions to adopt, publish, submit, and periodically revise policies, and to supply data for state review.
- Increased state coordination (DESE/DHE) to expand access for underrepresented students and align early college offerings with workforce needs.
Notes
- The bill text provided is partially truncated; readers should consult the full bill filed with the House for complete language and any further implementation details. The packet also contains an unrelated South Carolina resolution honoring an individual; that resolution is not part of Massachusetts H 4407.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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