HB 277 amends Sections 54.366(b) and 54.367(b) of the Texas Education Code to enhance outreach and streamline the application process for tuition and fee exemptions for students in foster or other residential care. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) are required to develop programs to ensure students in grades 9-12 in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and those adopted from foster care are aware of these exemptions. HB 277 also mandates that THECB, in consultation with DFPS, create a streamlined, electronic eligibility and application process to reduce administrative burdens. This includes automatic submission of necessary documentation to higher education institutions for eligible students. The Act takes effect on September 1, 2025, unless it receives the necessary votes for immediate enactment​.