College for All Texans Foundation:  Closing the Gaps 

The mission of the College for All Texans Foundation is to increase participation and success in higher education for all Texans. The Foundation is a support organization for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) in raising awareness and financial support for its Closing the Gaps by 2015 initiative. To read more about our funders, click here.

The Foundation partners with THECB to reach the goals outlined in the state’s higher education plan, Closing the Gaps by 2015, which was adopted in October 2000 by THECB with strong support from the state’s educational, business, and political communities. The plan is directed at closing the educational gaps in Texas as well as between Texas and other states. The plan has four goals:

• Close the gaps in student participation
• Close the gaps in student success
• Close the gaps in excellence
• Close the gaps in research

Closing the Gaps by 2015 includes strategies for reaching each of the goals in an annual performance measuring system. Primary objectives of this plan include increasing participation by enrolling 630,000 more students in higher education and annually award 210,000 undergraduate degrees, certificates and other identifiable student successes from high quality programs. These increases are essential for Texas to close the gaps in college participation and success by 2015 and improve the opportunities and economic well-being for Texans. A well-educated workforce is critical in a global economy. The Foundation exists to help generate the resources necessary to meet goals set in Closing the Gaps. All Texans should have access to higher education.

Why is Higher Education Important?

THECB has received strong support from educational, business, and political communities for the Closing the Gaps by 2015 plan because of the many economic, individual and community benefits of increasing the participation and success in higher education. According to the Perryman report, A Tale of Two States-And One Million Jobs!!, if Texas closes the gaps in higher education it “accelerates economic growth, creates over 1,000,000 new jobs, and offers legitimate opportunities for success to individuals and families from every socioeconomic stratum,” and “most important of all, it will improve the lives and opportunities for millions of Texans” (p. 10).

(The Perryman report was a study published in March 2007 and funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Commission for a College Ready Texas.)