MyCAP: Massachusetts’ Approach to College and Career Readiness
Updated on: June 15, 2026
Published on: June 16, 2026
This May, in Massachusetts, more than 300 representatives from 100 school districts attended a My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP) showcase. The showcase highlighted MyCAP, a student-centered, multi-year framework that helps learners connect their education to meaningful postsecondary pathways.
MyCAP is designed to help students become more intentional about their futures, actively explore interests, and build skills that support their long-term goals. The approach emphasizes:
- Student agency and ownership of learning
- Alignment between coursework and career pathways
- Development of real-world and life skills
- Continuous reflection and plan adjustment over time
Equally important, MyCAP strengthens student engagement by helping learners understand the relevance of their education.
Through its partnership with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), PCG is supporting the statewide implementation of MyCAP, helping districts integrate structured, future-focused planning into everyday student experiences.
“It’s about students finding purpose,” said Ana Archibald, Senior Consultant at PCG. “If students feel like there’s a reason why they’re doing the work, it drives engagement, attendance, and achievement.”
Today, PCG works with the state developing strategy and implementation frameworks, delivering professional learning and coaching for educators, defining quality indicators to measure implementation, and helping districts build sustainable, integrated MyCAP programs. Through professional learning workshops, coaching, and technical assistance, PCG has worked with more than 180 districts to shape local MyCAP programs and develop continuous monitoring action plans.
As of 2026, an estimated 40% of Massachusetts districts have implemented MyCAP, supporting over 130,000 students statewide.
“Programs like MyCAP allow students to connect what they’re doing in middle and high school to postsecondary goals and be better prepared to make decisions that are right for them after graduation,” said Archibald.
Research shows that students who engage in individualized career and academic planning are more likely to graduate from high school, apply to college, and enroll in postsecondary education. By giving students the tools to explore, plan, and adapt, Massachusetts is helping graduates leave high school not just with a diploma, but with direction.
The success of MyCAP has elevated the program to be included in the proposed statewide graduation requirements released by the Executive Office of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in partnership with Governor Healey’s K-12 Statewide Graduation Council.
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