Texas College Bridge: Enhancing College Readiness Across Texas

Texas College Bridge offers a proven, flexible solution with online prep courses in English and maths. Designed for Year 11 and 12 students, the programme helps learners earn TSI exemptions, meet CCMR benchmarks, and transition smoothly to higher education—backed by over 375,000 successful course completions across 600+ Texas districts.

Texas College Bridge (TCB) is an online preparatory programme established to improve college readiness for 11th and 12th-grade students in Texas. Developed in response to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, TCB offers adaptive, self-paced courses in English and Mathematics, helping students acquire the academic skills required for postsecondary education. As of 2025, more than 600 school districts have adopted the programme, resulting in over 375,000 course completions.

The programme is a collaboration between The Commit Partnership, a non-profit focused on educational equity, and The NROC Project, the developer of the EdReady platform. These organisations, together with other partners, continue to support students, teachers, districts, and higher education institutions across Texas.

Background and purpose of the programme

Texas College Bridge was introduced as a collaborative effort by The Commit Partnership and The NROC Project, the developer of the EdReady learning platform. Its creation was driven by the urgent need to provide alternative college preparation during the pandemic when standardised assessments such as the SAT, ACT, and TSIA were suspended. The goal was to ensure students, particularly those in Years 11 and 12, remained on track for postsecondary education despite the disruptions.

The programme offers adaptive, online courses in Mathematics and English, enabling students to improve their skills in a self-paced environment. Each student receives tailored content depending on their current knowledge level, allowing them to skip areas already mastered and concentrate on those requiring further development.

Course design and delivery

1. Platform and pedagogy

Texas College Bridge courses are delivered through the EdReady platform, a digital learning environment designed to assess, personalise, and guide students through a learning pathway. The courses begin with a knowledge inventory, which serves as a diagnostic tool to establish each student’s proficiency. Based on this assessment, students receive a personalised study plan that is continually updated as they progress.

Both English and Mathematics courses are facilitated by teachers who monitor student performance, offer support, and ensure the integrity of the learning process. These facilitators also manage virtual interactions, provide feedback, and track overall student engagement and completion.

2. English course

The English curriculum focuses on core competencies including grammar, comprehension, essay writing, and critical reading. Students engage with various types of texts and complete an essay assignment, which is a key component of the course. Successful completion of the English course allows students to meet the College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) benchmarks and potentially qualify for the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) exemption.

3. Mathematics course

The Mathematics course covers a wide range of topics, including algebra, geometry, data analysis, and quantitative reasoning. It is designed to reinforce foundational knowledge while preparing students for college-level mathematics. Students benefit from interactive modules, exercises, and assessments that check for understanding throughout the course.

Upon successful completion, students can also earn a TSI exemption in mathematics, allowing them to enrol directly in entry-level college courses without the need for remediation.

Programme Benefits for students, teachers, school districts and institutions

1. For students: Texas College Bridge enables students to:

• Learn at their own pace with adaptive study paths.
• Focus on areas of weakness without repeating already-mastered topics.
• Earn a TSI exemption recognised by over 100 colleges and universities in Texas.
• Share proof of course completion using blockchain technology.
• Access additional college and career resources to guide postsecondary planning.

2. For teachers: Teachers receive full visibility into each student's progress. The data-rich dashboard allows teachers to:

• Monitor completion and identify students needing additional support.
• Provide feedback and maintain academic integrity.
• Participate in training, implementation workshops, and professional learning communities.

3.  For districts: School districts benefit in several ways:

• Courses meet the HB 5 requirement for college preparatory instruction.
• Students' progress contributes to CCMR metrics under the A-F accountability system.
• Districts receive support in implementation, training, and reporting.
• The programme ensures consistent course delivery across schools. 

4. For higher education institutions: Participating colleges and universities benefit from:

• Receiving students who are prepared for direct entry into college-level coursework.
• Improved retention and graduation outcomes due to student readiness.
• A streamlined process for recognising TSI exemptions through verified course completions.

Training and support

Texas College Bridge offers extensive resources to support successful implementation. These include:

• Video tutorials and EdReady walkthroughs: Guides for students and teachers on navigating the platform.
• Teacher and district training: Sessions on how to integrate TCB into school operations.
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Opportunities for peer engagement, discussion, and knowledge sharing.
• Help centre: A central hub for troubleshooting, FAQs, and training materials.
• Live support: Office hours and help desks to address implementation challenges.

Programme Results and Impact

A programme evaluation report and summary flyers are made available to districts to highlight outcomes and encourage participation.

Since its inception, the Texas College Bridge programme has recorded significant outcomes:

• More than 600 Texas school districts have adopted the programme.
• Over 375,000 course completions have been facilitated as of early 2025.
• Thousands of students at risk of not qualifying for college have become college-ready.
  The majority of students meet or exceed the CCMR benchmark upon course completion.

Partnerships and recognition

One of the key strengths of Texas College Bridge is its broad network of partnerships:

• Higher Education Institutions: Over 100 colleges and universities across Texas recognise TCB for TSI exemption. This includes both two-year and four-year institutions.
• State and Local Education Agencies: The programme aligns with Texas Education Agency (TEA) standards and accountability metrics.
• Recent Partnership Announcement: In March 2025, Texas State University became the latest institution to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) accepting TCB completions as evidence of college readiness.

Events and summits

Speakers from school districts and higher education institutions share their experiences, challenges, and strategies for improving student readiness and engagement.

Texas College Bridge hosts regular summits to share best practices and build a strong community among educators:

• Virtual Summit – Spring 2025: Scheduled for 27 March 2025 via Whova. The event will feature general and breakout sessions focusing on programme insights, implementation, and educator collaboration.
• In-Person Statewide Summit – Summer 2025: Scheduled for 2 June 2025 at the University of Texas at Arlington. The summit will include case studies, real-time data presentations, and professional development opportunities. Teachers, administrators, and support staff are encouraged to attend. Professional development credit will be awarded.

Alignment with state policies

Texas College Bridge was designed to complement key educational policies and frameworks, including:

• HB 5: The House Bill requiring districts to offer college preparatory courses for students not meeting college readiness standards.
• CCMR Accountability: TCB course completions contribute to the College, Career, and Military Readiness component of the A-F accountability ratings.
• TSI Exemptions: The programme serves as an alternative pathway to satisfy the Texas Success Initiative requirements.

Technical features

The EdReady platform supporting Texas College Bridge offers:

• User dashboards: Real-time visualisation of student progress, course activity, and completion status.
• Secure access: Verified login protocols to maintain student data integrity.
• Mobile accessibility: Students can access courses and share their completion records via mobile devices.
• Blockchain certification: A secure, digital method of sharing course completion credentials with institutions.

Current status and future outlook

As of 2025, Texas College Bridge continues to expand its reach and improve its delivery:

• New training materials are being developed for districts newly adopting the programme.
• Additional postsecondary partners are expected to join, increasing the recognition of TCB completions.
  The programme is incorporating feedback from past implementations to update course content and improve learner engagement.
• Ongoing research is being conducted to evaluate long-term outcomes, such as postsecondary enrolment and persistence.

Himani Verma

Himani Verma is a seasoned content writer and SEO expert, with experience in digital media. She has held various senior writing positions at enterprises like CloudTDMS (Synthetic Data Factory), Barrownz Group, and ATZA. Himani has also been Editorial Writer at Hindustan Time, a leading Indian English language news platform. She excels in content creation, proofreading, and editing, ensuring that every piece is polished and impactful. Her expertise in crafting SEO-friendly content for multiple verticals of businesses, including technology, healthcare, finance, sports, innovation, and more.