1. (a) Summer higher education bridge programs. The purpose of this program is for institutions of higher education to provide public high school students who are not college-ready with appropriate instruction and other activities during summer programs to ensure eligible students achieve college readiness.

   1. (1) Only institutions offering summer bridge programs outlined under Texas Education Code, §61.0762, shall be subject to this subsection.

   2. (2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall issue a request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement for institutions to implement summer bridge programs under this subsection. The focus of these programs shall include mathematics, science, and/or English language arts for the following categories of public high school students:

      1. (A) Exiting 12th grade students, in the summer following their senior year, who have not met the minimum passing standards for college readiness as outlined under §4.57 of this title (relating to Minimum Passing Standards) or who are not exempt from requirements of the Texas Success Initiative as outlined under §4.54 of this title (relating to Exemptions/Exceptions); or
      2. (B) 10th and 11th grade students, in the summer following their sophomore and junior year, respectively, who have not achieved the predicted score for college readiness on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or appropriate college readiness predictors or scores on other assessments of college readiness as determined by the commissioner.
   3. (3) Other qualifications or requirements for student participation, public school eligibility, and institutional eligibility for implementing summer bridge programs shall be outlined in the request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement.

2. (b) Developmental education initiatives. The purpose of this program is to provide incentive funding to institutions who commit to implementing research-based and/or innovative developmental education initiatives.

   1. (1) Only institutions offering developmental education initiatives under Texas Education Code, §61.0762, shall be subject to this subsection.
   2. (2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall issue a request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement for institutions to implement developmental education initiatives under this subsection. The focus of these programs shall include mathematics, science, and/or English language arts for students who have not met the minimum passing standards for college readiness as outlined under §4.57 of this title (relating to Minimum Passing Standards) or who are not exempt from requirements of the Texas Success Initiative as outlined under §4.54 of this title (relating to Exemptions/Exceptions).

3. (c) Financial aid for college readiness and college entrance assessments. The purpose of this program is to obtain early assessments of college readiness and preparation of high school students.

   1. (1) Financial aid shall be provided for each eligible high school student on an annual basis as determined by the commissioner.
   2. (2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall determine the college readiness and college entrance assessments that will be funded under this subsection.

4. (d) Professional development for higher education faculty. The purpose of this program is to provide higher education faculty with professional development programs or activities on college readiness standards and the implications of these standards on instruction.

   1. (1) Only institutions offering professional development for faculty outlined under Texas Education Code, §61.0762, shall be subject to this subsection.
   2. (2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall issue a request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement for institutions to implement activities or programs of professional development for faculty under this subsection. The focus of these programs shall be limited to faculty who have responsibilities for developmental education and entry-level courses and to the knowledge and skills, reflected in the college readiness standards, that faculty can reasonably expect students to have achieved who are entering those courses from public schools.
   3. (3) Other qualifications or requirements for institutional eligibility for implementing faculty professional development activities and programs shall be outlined in the request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or agreement.
5. (e) Other programs that support the participation and success goals of Closing the Gaps by 2015. Additional programs may be identified by the commissioner to address the participation and success goals of Closing the Gaps by 2015. As programs are identified, qualifications and requirements for student participation and institutional or public school eligibility shall be determined by the commissioner or his/her designee.

Source Note:The provisions of this §4.177 adopted to be effective February 18, 2007, 32 TexReg 527.