TSI Assessment

• TAC Rule 4.85 (b) Student Eligibility – outlines dual credit requirements and eligibility, with changes effective May 16, 2024.
• TAC RULE 4.52 TSI Applicability
• (b) This subchapter does not apply to the following students, and an institution shall not require these students to demonstrate college readiness pursuant to this subchapter.
• (4) A student enrolled in high school who is a non-degree-seeking student as defined in §4.53(8) of this subchapter (relating to Definitions);
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board clarified in its Frequently Asked Questions that a high school student who is not degree seeking is not required to be TSI-met, i.e. college ready to attempt dual credit. (Rule 4.52(b)(4)). An institution is prohibited from making these students be college ready.
• TAC 4.85(b)(1) Dual Credit Requirements
• School districts/charters/private schools may only require the same dual credit course enrollment pre-requisites or additional requirements that are imposed on a high school student by the partnering institution of higher education at which the student is enrolled.
• TAC RULE 4.53 TSI Definitions
• The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context indicates otherwise.
• (8) Non-Degree-Seeking Student–A student who has not filed a degree plan with an institution of higher education and is not required to do so pursuant to Texas Education Code, §51.9685.
• Texas Education Code 51.9685 (c-2) Required Filing of Degree Plan
• TAC RULE 4.54 TSI Exemption
• (b) A student who achieves the passing standard on an assessment as set out in this subsection shall be deemed exempt from the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative. An institution shall not require an exempt student to provide any additional demonstration of college readiness and shall allow an exempt student to enroll in an entry-level academic course as defined in §4.53(13) of this title (relating to Definitions).
• (d) An institution may exempt a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student not otherwise exempt under this section.

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a state of Texas legislatively-mandated program designed to guide public institutions of higher education to determine if a student is ready for college-level course work in the general areas of Reading, Writing and Mathematics.

If you are an incoming college student in Texas, you are required to take the TSI Assessment unless you are already exempt (see exemption requirements below) to determine your readiness for college-level work. Within the Dual Credit program, students must meet the minimum required scores (see below for qualifying scores) in the areas of ELAR (Reading/Writing), and/or Math to take certain courses.

If you are not exempt from taking the TSI Assessment based on the list of exemptions listed in the next section, you will need to take the TSI Assessment in the area(s) relevant to the Dual Credit course you wish to take.

The assessments are computer adaptive, which means that questions increase or decrease in difficulty level depending on how you respond. The assessments are untimed.

Not all students need to take the TSI Assessment; there are several ways to be exempt. Qualifying for a TSI Assessment exemption means that you can enroll in any entry-level college course without restrictions. A student is exempt from TSI requirements if they meet one of these exemptions listed here. Students may not combine scores from different administrations of the same test.

Students who have satisfactorily completed college-level coursework in mathematics, reading or writing with a grade of ‘C' or better, including a high school student who has earned college credit for a dual credit course or a course offered under §4.86 of this chapter (relating to Optional Dual Credit or Dual Enrollment Program: College Connect Courses), with a grade of ‘C' or better, is considered coursework exempt. An official college transcript of coursework completed is required.