Lone Star College System received a $4.9 million grant from Houston Endowment to help students move from high school dual credit courses through college completion and into four-year universities.
Klein Independent School District is one of two confirmed school district partners in the initiative, called Building Bridges to Credentials and Careers (BB2CC), according to Lone Star College. Aldine ISD is the other. The grant was announced Oct. 29.
For Klein ISD families weighing dual credit options, the program assigns a dedicated mentor while a student is still in high school. After enrollment at Lone Star College, a campus advisor takes over. When it's time to transfer, a transfer navigator steps in.
How it works
BB2CC uses a shared technology platform to connect those three staff roles so support continues as students move between stages.
During dual credit, a mentor helps students with coursework and college preparation. Once a student enrolls at Lone Star College, a campus advisor handles academic advising. A retention and gateway success director provides extra help through first-semester English and math courses. At the transfer stage, a navigator guides the application process and transition to a university partner.
Three universities are confirmed transfer partners: Sam Houston State University, Prairie View A&M University and University of Houston-Downtown. Lone Star College said additional partners could be added depending on demand.
"Our responsibility is to make the path toward that future clear and to provide consistent support as students move from one stage of their education to the next," said Rigoberto J. Rincones Gómez, Lone Star College System vice chancellor of Academic Affairs and the project lead.
Who the grant targets
The initiative will focus on students who face extra barriers to finishing a degree. That includes those eligible for federal Pell Grants, students who need additional preparation in English or math, and adults returning to college after time in the workforce.
Nicole Robinson Gauthier, Lone Star College System associate vice chancellor of Foundation Advancement and Donor Engagement, said the grant will let the college system "build people and technology capacity to propel those students forward when they most need our support."
$5.4 million total investment
The $4.9 million implementation grant follows a $500,000 planning grant Houston Endowment awarded in fall 2025. Together, the two grants total $5.4 million. The new funding will support staffing, technology and data analysis across Lone Star College campuses, My Neighborhood News reported.
"Houston isn't short of jobs. It's short of rungs on the ladder, and credentials of value can be those rungs," said Elisa Villanueva Beard, president and CEO of Houston Endowment.
The announcement did not specify when students will begin participating in the fully implemented program, how many students will initially be served or when additional partnerships may be announced. Families interested in dual credit or transfer planning can contact their high school counseling office or a Lone Star College academic advisor.
