Currently, more than 5.4 million Texans over the age of 25 have some college credit but no degree. That number reflects almost a third of the entire adult population in the state.¹ In 2022, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) established a new strategic plan, Building a Talent Strong Texas, to increase the number of Texans who obtain a college credential or degree. The plan aims to ensure that 60 percent of Texans ages 25–64 will have earned a college degree, certificate, or other postsecondary credential of value by 2030. To address this priority, THECB created a pathway for four-year colleges to award sub-baccalaureate degrees and offer wholly embedded associate degrees within a bachelor's degree program. An embedded associate degree allows students currently enrolled in a four-year college to earn a credential before completing their bachelor's degree, which could deter them from dropping out or could reengage students who have already left.

Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southwest worked with THECB to develop a plan to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of this new pathway, also known as the embedded AA/AS (associate of arts/associate of science) initiative. THECB wants to know the extent to which Texas colleges are implementing opportunities for students to earn an embedded associate degree, and whether such opportunities have led to an increase in the number and percentage of four-year college students who earn embedded associate degrees.

Building a Talent Strong Texas with the embedded AA/AS initiative

The embedded AA/AS initiative is a new approach to postsecondary success in Texas. This year, West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) became the first institution of higher education in the state to adopt the pathway by offering an associate degree in mathematics for students on track to complete their bachelor's degree. WTAMU's assistant vice president, Melissa Reyher White, shared why her university is prioritizing this pathway: "Since students will complete the University's core curriculum (general education) as part of the embedded associate degree, it will be easier for them to return and finish their bachelor's degree. In addition, students often struggle between their sophomore and junior years. The embedded associate degree creates a midpoint benchmark so that students can see the progress made towards completing their bachelor's degree."

In 2023, REL Southwest began working with THECB and WTAMU to develop an evaluation plan for the embedded AA/AS initiative. As a "partner, resource, and advocate to higher education institutions across the state," THECB brought the perspective of Texas' higher education goals and priorities to the conversation.² Similarly, WTAMU provided insight into their experience with planning and implementing the initiative, including negotiating with faculty and staff, accreditation agencies, and administrators to develop the policies and practices needed to successfully implement the initiative.

Partnering with THECB and WTAMU to craft an evaluation plan

In spring and summer 2024, REL Southwest facilitated a series of collaborative planning sessions with THECB and WTAMU to create a logic model. With support from REL Southwest, THECB and WTAMU designed a logic model describing the resources and activities needed from both the state and from colleges to increase the number of colleges adopting embedded AA/AS programs and the number of students completing embedded associate degrees. After the logic model was established, THECB and WTAMU developed research questions focused on how the embedded AA/AS initiative is being implemented, and whether the outcomes expected at both the state- and college-levels are being met.

REL Southwest also helped the partners develop a data inventory that included existing and possible new data sources that could be used to answer each research question. These discussions generated plans for a study that would assess the promise of the embedded AA/AS initiative to increase college student persistence, reenrollment, and completion rates. According to one participant, the collaborative planning sessions were helpful because they provided, "space and time dedicated to discussing policy changes and potential impacts in depth, which we are not always able to do alongside policy implementation."

Reflecting on the planning and implementation process

Implementing a statewide program, like the embedded AA/AS initiative, with institutions of higher education requires education leaders to navigate intricate processes and negotiations across multiple organizations. It also requires a strong commitment from state and college leaders to provide support and resources to ensure the program is implemented successfully. During the past year, REL Southwest created a space for those leaders to develop a comprehensive plan to evaluate a new pathway that can help increase the number of Texans who obtain a college credential or degree. As we look to the future, REL Southwest plans to continue our partnership with THECB and WTAMU to support postsecondary success for students in Texas.

Related resources

• Training Material: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Community of Practice on Effective Strategies for Stop-Out Students
• Descriptive Study: An Examination of the Costs of Texas Community College