FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2026
Angelina College Receives $300,000 Grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Building Stronger Pathways from Developmental Education to College Completion
LUFKIN, Texas — Angelina College has been awarded $300,000 through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Student Success Acceleration Program (SSAP) 3.0 to strengthen academic support and improve outcomes for students who need additional preparation to succeed in college-level coursework.
The two-year grant, running from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028, will support Roadrunner Success, an enhanced developmental education initiative focused on helping students successfully transition from developmental coursework into college-level English and mathematics.
Institutional data demonstrate a significant challenge at this transition point. During the 2024–25 academic year, only 54 of 129 underprepared students (42%) successfully passed ENGL 1301 after developmental English, while 77 of 223 underprepared students (35%) successfully passed college-level mathematics after developmental math.
According to Dr. Tim Ditoro, Vice President of Academic affairs at Angelina College, the grant is the result of a concentrated effort from appointed committee members who studied the data, reached out to other institutions for input and submitted their recommendations.
“Because of the work of this committee, we were in position to apply for this grant from THECB,” Ditoro said. “This grant will enable the College to hire additional personnel to serve this population of students and also includes funds for professional development of faculty and staff. We will also be able to purchase learning software for students enrolled in developmental education courses.
“I’m grateful for the work of the committee and I believe that we’ll see higher student success rates as a result of the grant initiatives.”
Keys provided under the SSAP:
- Success Navigator to serve as a case manager of underprepared students
- Part-time tutors for underprepared students
- Professional Development travel to the THECB’s “Higher Edge” conference for deans and/or faculty (five people total)
- Professional development for developmental education instructors with the University of Texas Dana Center
- Adaptive instructional software for 330 students annually for two years
The Success Navigator will coordinate with faculty, advisors, financial aid personnel, and other student support services to identify students who may be struggling and connect them with assistance before academic difficulties result in course failure or withdrawal.
During the grant period, Angelina College will use the grant to establish a centralized student tracking and referral process that will help identify academic challenges earlier and connect students with appropriate resources.
Roadrunner Success is intended to create lasting institutional improvements beyond the grant period. Angelina College will evaluate the program’s outcomes and work toward sustaining effective components through institutional resources.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board administers the Student Success Acceleration Program 3.0 to support strategies that improve student persistence, academic achievement, and completion at Texas public institutions of higher education.
About Angelina College: Angelina College is a two-year community college located in Lufkin, Texas, dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality education, workforce training, and community enrichment. Through its technical programs, transfer pathways, and continuing education offerings, Angelina College serves thousands of students each year across the East Texas region.
Media Contact:
Angelina College
3500 South First Street, Lufkin, TX 75901
936-414-4361, kbrown@angelina.edu
