Texas Success Initiative (TSI)

The TSI was updated effective January 11, 2021. The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) was revised and takes the place of the prior TSI Assessment. The Reading and Writing sections were combined into one English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) section. The TSIA2 Mathematics section remained a standalone assessment.

TSIA2 measures mathematics, reading, and writing skills to determine a student’s readiness to enroll in entry-level freshman courses. Students are required to test and to be advised based on the results of their TSIA2 scores. Students will not be denied admission to Tarrant County College (TCC) based on TSIA2 or other college placement scores. Testing must be completed prior to enrolling in classes.

The required TSIA2 test is administered at the TCC Testing Centers on each campus. Testing appointments may be required and a fee may be assessed. Test scores are usually available immediately following testing. Career advisors will assist students with score interpretation.

Students must complete a pre-assessment activity (PAA) prior to taking the TSIA2 Test.

Students should contact the campus Testing Services for additional information.

Free TSIA2 workshops may be offered by the campus tutoring centers to review test topics and provide practice for students retaking sections of the TSI Assessment. Students are encouraged to attend a TSIA2 Workshop and to retest.

Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Requirements for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs

All students enrolled in an associate degree program, or a Level 2 certificate program must meet the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). However, since students are not required to have achieved college readiness in order to graduate from high school, students enrolled in certain Level 2 certificate programs and associate of applied science (AAS) programs may or may not have the option to choose either a college-level mathematics or science course to meet degree or certificate requirements. If a non-mathematics option is chosen by the student, TCC’s faculty content experts may determine that a student does not need to attain the mathematics college-readiness designation. The minimum levels of readiness are demonstrated through successful completion of those lower level or program-specific career-technical education courses.

More information about TSI requirements is available in the Texas Success Initiative - Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board website.

Testing Requirements for Restricted Courses

All TSI-liable students will be required to submit appropriate test scores before enrolling in college-level Mathematics, English, and/or Reading and Writing restricted courses. Successful completion of prerequisite courses may substitute for placement test scores. Testing requirements for specific courses are outlined in the course descriptions .

TSI Waivers and Exemptions

All students taking college-level courses must satisfy Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) requirements unless they qualify for a TSI waiver or exemption.

TSI Waivers and Exemptions apply only to TSIA2 requirements. Official documentation of eligibility for an exemption or waiver is required. Students should contact the campus Admissions and Registrar Office for additional information about TSIA2 requirements and restrictions, and to determine the specific documentation required.

Students who qualify for a TSI exemption are not required to test for TSI purposes, may not enroll in developmental coursework and/or interventions in the corresponding area of exemption, and do not need to develop and follow an Academic Success Plan. All prerequisites for enrollment in specific courses must be met.

Waivers:

1. Certificate Waiver – Students pursuing a one-year Certificate of Completion of no more than 42 semester hours are exempt from all parts of TSIA2 testing and may enroll in any course required for that certificate. There may be courses in the certificate program that require placement testing.
2. Casual Student Waiver – Students who are not seeking a degree or certificate from a Texas public institution of higher education may qualify; enrollment may be restricted.
3. Military Waiver – Students serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard, or serving as a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States for at least the three-year period preceding enrollment.
4. English Language Learners Waiver – Students who are not native speakers of English may request a waiver from the TSIA2 in order to develop their academic English skills. Students will take an English Placement test instead to determine correct placement in ESOL courses. Students using this waiver will be required to take the TSIA2 before they complete the 15th hour of ESOL. All TSI waivers must be renewed each term and all course prerequisites must be met.
5. A student who has successfully completed College Preparatory courses is eligible to receive a waiver for one year from the date of high school graduation. Successful completion of College Prep English/Language Arts allows for a one-year waiver for Reading and Writing. Successful completion of College Prep Math allows for a one-year waiver for Math.

All TSI waivers must be renewed each term and all course prerequisites must be met.

Exemptions:

1. Score Exempt – Students who achieved certain scores on the SAT, ACT, GED, HiSET, or STAAR EOC test may be fully or partially exempt.
2. Degree Exempt – Students who have earned an associate or higher degree from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution or from a recognized international institution.
3. Veteran Exempt – Students who were honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty or from Texas National Guard on or after August 1, 1990.
4. Course Exempt – Students who have completed a restricted course from a regionally accredited college or university earning a grade of C or higher are exempt in the curricular area of that course but must develop and pursue an academic success plan with an advisor in any remaining area(s).
5. Private or Out-of-State Transfer – Students who transfer from a regionally accredited college or university and have earned a grade of C in specific courses are exempt in the related TSI component. An official transcript must be submitted.

To be considered exempt for TSI Math, the student must have completed the equivalent to one of these courses with a grade of C or better:

• MATH 1314 - College Algebra +   
• MATH 1316 - Plane Trigonometry +  
• MATH 1324 - Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences +  
• MATH 1325 - Calculus for Business and Social Sciences +  
• MATH 1350 - Mathematics for Teachers I +  
• MATH 1351 - Mathematics for Teachers II +  
• MATH 2305 - Discrete Mathematics +  
• MATH 2318 - Linear Algebra +  
• MATH 2320 - Differential Equations +  
• MATH 2412 - Pre-Calculus Math +  
• MATH 2413 - Calculus I +  
• MATH 2414 - Calculus II +  
• MATH 2415 - Calculus III +  

To be considered exempt on the Non-Algebraic Pathway for TSI Math, the student must have completed the equivalent to one of these courses with a grade of “C” or better:

• MATH 1332 - Contemporary Mathematics (Quantitative Reasoning) +  
• MATH 1342 - Elementary Statistical Methods +  

To be considered exempt for TSI English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR; also known as Integrated Reading and Writing), the student must have completed the equivalent to one of these courses with a grade of C or better:

• ENGL 1301 - Composition I +  
• ENGL 1302 - Composition II +  
• ENGL 2322 - British Literature I +  
• ENGL 2323 - British Literature II +  
• ENGL 2327 - American Literature I +  
• ENGL 2328 - American Literature II +  
• ENGL 2332 - World Literature I +  
• ENGL 2333 - World Literature II +  
• GOVT 2305 - Federal Government (Federal Constitution & Topics) +  
• GOVT 2306 - Texas Government (Texas Constitution & Topics) +  
• HIST 1301 - United States History I +  
• HIST 1302 - United States History II +  
• PHIL 1301 - Introduction to Philosophy +  
• PSYC 2301 - General Psychology +  
• SOCI 1301 - Introduction to Sociology +  

6. Texas College Bridge (TCB) Exempt – successful completion of the TCB course provides a TSI exemption in that content area effective for 24 months following the student’s high school graduation (Texas Education Code 51.338).

Exemptions are permanent and do not need to be renewed each semester.

Developmental Studies

Tarrant County College (TCC) considers the provision of a comprehensive program of developmental studies to be an integral part of its mission. Mandatory placement testing in the basic skills of mathematics, writing, and reading identifies students who are performing below college level. A range of options in each of the areas allows students to address and correct their deficiencies.

Students who score below specified levels of the TSIA2 will be required to enroll in developmental studies until they complete their program’s required credit course or they achieve TSIA2 complete status via coursework or passing a TSIA2 retest in the same skill area.

A First-Time-in-College (FTIC) student assessed as needing additional help in any developmental skill area is required to be continuously enrolled in at least one required developmental program course or non-course based option until all program requirements are complete.

All students must have an Academic Success Plan by the end of their first term. More information about the Academic Success Plan is available at the campus Student Success and Advising Centers.

TCC students in developmental studies must register for a course or a non-course based option co-requisite course. A non-course based option (NCBO) is an educational intervention that uses learning approaches to prepare the student for college-level work. A co-requisite course refers to a developmental course paired with a credit transfer course.

The co-requisite model is an instructional strategy whereby a student is enrolled simultaneously in a developmental education course and/or intervention and a gateway course within the same semester. This allows a student sooner entry into their credit course requirements. The developmental component of the co-requisite provides support for the successful completion of the college-level credit course. 

Developmental courses and NCBOs do not transfer as college credit to other colleges and universities, do not count as credit toward graduation requirements, and are not included in the calculation of the grade point average.

The following are non-course based options (NCBO):  

• INRW 0114 Non-course Based Reading/Writing   
• MATH 0132 - Coreq Contemporary Math   
• MATH 0142 - Coreq Elementary Statistics   
• MATH 0214 - Coreq College Algebra   
• MATH 0224 - Coreq Math Business/Social Sciences  

Placement in developmental courses is based on TSIA2 scores and, in some instances, on scores on other departmental tests. Additional information about state mandates is available at any campus Student Success and Advising Center.

The following courses are developmental:

• ESOL 0301 ESOL Oral Communication 1  
• ESOL 0302 ESOL Oral Communication 2  f
• ESOL 0303 ESOL Oral Communication 3  
• ESOL 0304 Grammar for Non-native Speakers 1  
• ESOL 0305 Grammar for Non-native Speakers 2  
• ESOL 0306 Grammar for Non-native Speakers 3  
• ESOL 0307 ESOL Reading and Vocabulary 1  
• ESOL 0308 ESOL Reading and Vocabulary 2  
• ESOL 0309 ESOL Reading and Vocabulary 3  
• ESOL 0310 Writing for Non-native Speakers 1  
• ESOL 0311 Writing for Non-native Speakers 2  
• ESOL 0312 Writing for Non-native Speakers 3   
• INRW 0399 - Integrated Reading and Writing II  
• STSC 0111 - Transition to College Success  

Developmental Studies and corequisite models do not apply to Dual Enrollment (Dual Credit and ECHS/PTECH CCRSM Schools). Refer to the Dual Credit webpage.

Adult Education Courses

Adult education courses (MATH 0090  and INRW 0090 ) are designed for students who are assessed and need additional review or foundational material to increase success in developmental or college-level courses. Courses will follow the attendance policies and curricula are aligned with developmental education courses.

Attendance in Developmental Courses

Students taking developmental Mathematics and/or Integrated Reading and Writing courses are required to attend class and to keep up with course assignments. Since attendance and participation are essential to student success, the following guidelines apply:

• A student in an on-campus course who misses 15 percent of the class meetings and is not successfully performing in the course may be withdrawn at the discretion of the instructor.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

ESOL waivers apply to English Language Learners requesting to waive their Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2). Students that apply for this waiver must be in agreement with the following guidelines set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

1. Student is a non-native speaker of English who wishes to remediate before taking the TSIA2;
2. Student understands that he/she can take ESOL courses only while remediating; if a student elects to take the TSIA2 for mathematics and passes, he/she may enroll in math courses for which he/she is eligible;
3. Student understands that he/she must take the TSIA2 before he/she completes the 15th hour of ESOL developmental education;
4. Student will need to take the placement test in order to register for the correct level of ESOL.

For additional information regarding ESOL refer to the TCC website.

Student Transition to College Success Course

Tarrant County College is committed to supporting students in meeting their educational goals by requiring a learning skills course (STSC 0111 ) for students who are TSI-liable in at least one content area.

Transition to College Success is a non-degree credit, one-hour course. It is intended to be taken during a student’s first term in college. TSI-liable students who do not register for STSC 0111  in their first term will have a hold placed on their registration for future terms.

TSI Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) Completion Requirements

A status of TSIA2 Compliant or Exempt in Mathematics and Integrated Reading/Writing is required to receive most degrees and some certificates of completion. To achieve this status, a non-exempt student must meet one of the following requirements for each skill area:

Mathematics

• Meet the TSIA2 with a College Readiness Classification (CRC) score of “950-990” or
• Meet the TSIA2 with a CRC score of “910-949” and a diagnostic level of “6” or
• Earn a grade of “C” or higher in one of the following entry-level college Math courses:

  MATH 1314

  MATH 1324

  MATH 1332

  MATH 1342

• Students with a professionally diagnosed mathematics disability may contact Student Accessibility Resources on campus to discuss alternatives available for completion of the mathematics requirement.

Integrated Reading/Writing

• Meet the TSIA2 with a CRC score of “945-990” and an essay score of “5-8” or
• Meet the TSIA2 with a CRC score of “910-944” and diagnostic level of “5-6” and an essay score of “5-8” or
• Earn a grade of “C” or higher in one of the following courses:

  ENGL 1301

  PSYC 2301

  SOCI 1301

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

• Meet the TSIA2 with a CRC score of “945-990” and an essay score of “5-8” or
• Meet the TSIA2 with a CRC score of “910-944” and diagnostic level score of “5-6” and an essay score of “5-8”

In addition, to the requirements above:

1. Students who passed a state-approved TSIA2 test in any skill area and were enrolled in a regionally accredited college or university prior to August 26, 2013, are TSIA2 complete in the corresponding area.
2. Students transferring from a regionally accredited college or university who have completed one or more of the above-designated courses with a grade of “C” or higher will be considered TSI-satisfied in that curricular area. An official transcript from the transfer institution is required.
3. Students whose previous Texas public college or university determined that they have met Minimum Passing Standards in Reading, Writing, and/or Math are met in the curricular area(s) indicated but must develop and pursue an Academic Success Plan in any remaining area(s).

TSIA2 Placement Score Charts 

 MATH

* TSI met in Reading and Writing is required for enrollment in MATH 1342 .
** MATH 0132 = 1 hour NCBO for MATH 1332
** MATH 0142 = 1 hour NCBO for MATH 1342
** MATH 0214 = 2 hour NCBO for MATH 1314
** MATH 0224 = 2 hour NCBO for MATH 1324
Note: Students who change from Non-Algebraic Pathway to Algebraic Pathway may be required to take additional developmental education coursework/intervention (TAC Rule Statute 4.58).

Dual enrollment students cannot participate in Developmental Studies, including co-requisite course models.

INTEGRATED READING / WRITING (INRW)

* INRW 0114  is a non-course based option (NCBO), just-in-time support that prepares the student for college-level work.
**Approved college-level course includes ENGL 1301 , PSYC 2301 , or SOCI 1301 .
Note: Dual enrollment students cannot participate in Developmental Studies, including co-requisite course models.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAM (ELLP)

ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)

English Language Learners (ELLs) who need more time to refine their academic English skills may use the TSI Waiver. It limits students to ESOL and no other credit courses.

• Will be required to take the TSIA before they complete the 15th hour of ESOL.
• May take the Michigan English Placement Test (MEPT) to assess appropriate ESOL placement.
• TSI Waiver temporarily exempts students from TSI, Student Success course, and New Trailblazer Orientation.

Contact the English Language Learning Program on your campus for more information.

ESOL COURSE PLACEMENT

MICHIGAN ENGLISH PLACEMENT TEST (MEPT) CUT-SCORES

Enrollment in the ESOL program requires:

1. Making the minimum score on the placement test or
2. Successful completion of Level 3 of Pre-Academic ESL or Level 5 of Workforce ESL

Contact the English Language Learning Program on your campus for more information.

PRE-ACADEMIC ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) COURSE PLACEMENT

MICHIGAN ENGLISH PLACEMENT TEST (MEPT) CUT-SCORES

After successful completion of Level 3 of Pre-Academic ESL, students may continue with ESOL courses.

Contact the English Language Learning Program on your campus for more information.

WORKFORCE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) COURSE PLACEMENT

MICHIGAN ENGLISH PLACEMENT TEST (MEPT) CUT-SCORES

After successful completion of Workforce ESL Level 5, students may continue with ESOL courses.

Contact the English Language Learning Program on your campus for more information.

For more information, students should consult the campus Student Success and Advising Center.