“If pre-AP was full,” she said, “I’ll take any Algebra II class; just get me out of this remedial class. Houston ISD’s Algebraic Reasoning class uses Texas College Bridge despite research overwhelmingly showing it does little to prepare students for college. The Texas College Bridge shell game was not an isolated incident. That creates a compounding loss of opportunity that could shut the door on STEM careers for thousands of Houston students. But his actions tell another story of lowered expectations, delayed coursework, and reduced opportunity for thousands of Houston students, especially in Black and Latino communities.