The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has awarded grants to four new Texas affordable baccalaureate programs: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Tarleton State University, South Texas College (in partnership with Austin Community College), and Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Key points:

  • In February 2011, during his State of the State Address, then-Gov. Rick Perry called on Texas’ public four-year universities to craft affordable bachelor’s degrees, what the governor called, “$10,000 degrees.”
  • The first Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Degree was launched by Texas A&M-Commerce and South Texas College. The new program commenced with seven students and grew to over 300 students and 121 program graduates by 2016.
  • Fundraising for the expansion of the affordable baccalaureate was supported by the College for All Texans Foundation. The grants were secured from AT&T Aspire, the Greater Texas Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and the Meadows Foundation.
  • To make college more affordable for more Texans, each public university should have at least one bachelor’s degree under the Affordable Baccalaureate Program.