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Texas Success Initiative

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) (Texas Education Code 51.3062) is a comprehensive program of assessment, advising, developmental education, and other strategies to ensure college readiness. Students are encouraged to speak to a counselor or advisor about their responsibilities regarding the TSI. For students who are first-time college students, initial testing will be required prior to your first semester. In the fall 2013 semester, the TSI Assessment becomes the only test recognized by the state of Texas for entry into any public college in the state. Previously, a variety of assessments were accepted for initial testing, including THEA and Accuplacer. Test scores from those instruments will still be recognized as long as the student was enrolled in at least one class prior to the start of the fall 2013 semester. TSI test results are valid for five (5) years from date of testing.

Minimum Passing Standards

TSIA2 Benchmark Scores

 

English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR)

CRC minimum score of 945 and Essay minimum score of 5  OR  CRC score less than 945 and a diagnostic score minimum of 5 and a minimum essay score of 5

Mathematics
CRC minimum score of 950  OR  CRC less than 950 and a diagnostic level of 6

CRC- College Readiness Classification Test
CRC- Range 910-990
Diagnostic Score- Range 1-6

TSIA Benchmark Scores

Mathematics - 350
Reading - 351
Writing - Essay Score of 5; Essay Score of 4 and Multiple Choice of 340

Exemptions/Exceptions

The following students shall be exempt from these assessment requirements. Exempt students will not be required to provide any additional demonstration of college readiness and will be allowed to enroll in any entry-level freshman course:

  1. For a period of five (5) years from the date of testing, a student who is tested and performs at or above the following standards that cannot be raised by institutions:
    1. ACT
      1. ACT: Taken prior to February 1, 2023, composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall be exempt for both the reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment, and/or 19 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment;
      2. ACT: Taken after February 1, 2023, a combined score of 40 on the English and Reaing (E+R) tests shall be exempt from both reading and writing.  A score of 22 on the mathematics test.  There is not composite score;
    2. SAT
      1. SAT: a combined critical reading (formerly "verbal") and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on the critical reading test shall be exempt for both reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment, and/or 500 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment; or
      2. SAT: Taken after March 1, 2016, a minimum score of 480 evidence based reading and writing and 530 in math. No combined score is required.
  2. For a period of three (3) years from the date of testing, a student who is tested and performs on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) with a minimum scale score of 1770 on the writing test, a Texas Learning Index (TLI) of 86 on the mathematics test and 89 on the reading test.
  3. For a period of five (5) years from the date of testing, a student who is tested and performs at or above the following standards that cannot be raised by institutions:
    1. on the eleventh grade exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) with a minimum scale score of 2200 on the math section and/or a minimum scale score of 2200 on the English Language Arts section with a writing subsection score of at least 3, shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment requirements for those corresponding sections; or
    2. STAAR end-of-course (EOC) with a minimum score of Level 2 on the English III shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for both reading and writing, and a minimum score of Level 2 on the Algebra II EOC shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment requirements for the mathematics section.
  4. A student who has graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education.
  5. A student who transfers to an institution from a private or independent institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and who has satisfactorily completed college-level coursework as determined by the receiving institution.
  6. A student who has previously attended any institution and has been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution.
  7. A student who is enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level-One certificates, 42 or fewer schs or the equivalent) at a public junior college, a public technical institute, or a public state college.
  8. A student who is serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and has been serving for at least three years preceding enrollment.
  9. A student who on or after August 1, 1990, was honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard or service as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States.
  10. A non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student. Any student above who has been determined to be exempt in mathematics, reading, and/or writing will not be required to enroll in developmental coursework and/or interventions in the corresponding area of exemption.
  11. ESOL Waiver--UT Permian Basin may also grant a temporary waiver from the required assessment for students with demonstrated limited English proficiency in order to provide appropriate ESOL/ESL coursework and interventions. The waiver will be removed prior to the student attempting 15 credit hours of developmental ESOL coursework or attempting entry-level freshman coursework, whichever comes first, at which time the student would be administered the TSI Assessment.
  12. GED - A minimum score of 165 on the Mathematical Reasoning subject test shall be exempt for mathematics. A minimum score of 165 on the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) subject test shall be exempt for English Language Arts Reading (ELAR).
  13. HiSET - A minimum score of 15 on the Mathematics subtest shall be exempt for mathematics. A minimum score of 15 on the Reading subtest and a minimum score of 15 on the Writing subtest, including a minimum score of 4 on the essay, shall be exempt for English Language Arts Reading (ELAR).