1. Texas Success Initiative (TSI)
Amy Williams
TSI Coordinator/Admissions Advisor

2. Texas Success Initiative
TSI statute (Texas Education Code, Section F-1, et seq.) requires that institutions must engage in two important activities:
assess all entering, non-exempt undergraduate students on the TSI Assessment (TSIA) to determine their readiness to enroll in freshman-level academic coursework; and
for the student not meeting the TSIA college readiness benchmark, develop with the student a Plan for Academic Success, which outlines on an individualized basis what the student must do in meeting the statute.

3. TSI Assessment
TSI Assessment(TSIA) is the only Board-approved assessment instrument used for entering students who initially enroll in any course on or after August 26, (unless exempt)
Any previously-employed assessments (ACCUPLACER, Compass, THEA, Asset, Compass ESL, ACCUPLACER ESL) can no longer be used under this title for entering students who initially enroll in any course on or after the institution's first class day in fall 2013 or for any students retesting for TSI purposes.

4. TSI Complete (1) Reading 351; (2) Mathematics 350; and (3) Writing:
Effective the institution's first class day of fall 2017, the following minimum passing standards (also known as "cut scores") for reading, mathematics, and writing on the TSI Assessment shall be used by an institution to determine a student's readiness to enroll in entry-level freshman coursework:
(1) Reading 351;
(2) Mathematics 350; and
(3) Writing:
(A) a placement score of at least 340, and an essay score of at least 4; or
(B) a placement score of less than 340 and an ABE Diagnostic level of at least 4 and an essay score of at least 5.
The new Writing cut scores (implemented FAL17) are retroactive and the TSI assessment is valid for 5 years from test date.

5. Waivers
WCERT: A student who is enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level-One certificates, 42 or fewer semester credit hours or the equivalent) at a public junior college, a public technical institute, or a public state college.
WNDS: An institution may exempt a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student.
ESOL Waiver--An institution may grant a temporary waiver from the assessment required under this title for students with demonstrated limited English proficiency in order to provide appropriate ESOL/ESL coursework and interventions. 

6. How does student prove active duty?
Military Waiver
TAC RULE §4.54
Active duty military
Texas National Guard
Reserve component – 3 years service proceeding enrollment
How does student prove active duty?
Eforms
ST MIL Verification-Internal
ST MIL Verification

7. Military Exemption TAC RULE §4.54
Student must have member 4 DD214 on file for EMIL
Prior Military (after August 1, 1990)
Honorable discharge
Retired
Released from active duty
Must take TSIA or provide transcripts for exemption
Other than honorable
Uncharacterized
Under honorable conditions
Note: There is not a service period requirement.

8. Exemptions cont. TAKS STAAR EOC
2200 for the math section
2200 for the ELA section & 3 on the essay (indicated by a + on transcript)
ACT
23+ Composite
19+ English
19+ Math
STAAR EOC
Level 2, score of 4000 on the English III
Level 2, score of 4000 on the Algebra II
Districts will administer on an optional basis as postsecondary readiness measures.
Districts that elect to offer either STAAR Algebra II or English III or both assessments must administer the tests to all students in the district who are enrolled in these courses.
Scores are valid for 5 years from the test day.

9. Old SAT (prior to March 5, 2016)
1070 combined critical reading + math score
500+ on critical reading test
500+ on the math test
New SAT (after March 5, 2016)
530 Math
480  Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) 
There is no combined score.
Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered prior to March 5, 2016 and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016 is not allowable.
Exemption applies for a period of five (5) years from the date of testing.

10. EASC/ETPOC
EASC: A student who has graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education.
ETPOC: A student who transfers to an institution from a public, 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.

11. Transferred in Ready/ETRAN
A student who has previously attended any Texas public institution and has been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution.

12. Common Errors DD214, released from active duty prior to 8/1/1990
Other than honorable, uncharacterized
Developmental coursework from a out-of-state/private used to make student TSI complete
Did not take all TSIA sections

13. TSI Documents CTC homepage Faculty & Staff Academic Advisement
Student Services Tools
Academic Advisement
Test Placement Matrices
C or Better Transfer Course List
TSI Rules (Texas Administrative Code)

14. Additional links Are you Exempt? Overview: Texas Success Initiative
For a complete list of TSI exemptions, see Texas Education Code, § (r) and Coordinating Board rules, §4.54.