Texas Success Initiative
The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is the statute that requires all Texas public institutions of higher education to determine the college readiness of all non-exempt, entering undergraduate students to enroll in freshman-level academic courses [refer to Texas Education Code (TEC) 51.336]. Unless a student is TSI exempted or waived, the student is required to take the TSI Assessment Version 2.0 (TSIA2) prior to enrolling in college-ready courses.
TSIA2 test results in English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) and mathematics will determine if a student is ready for college-level coursework in writing, reading and mathematics. The results of TSIA2 (or TSIA) are used by academic advisers to place students in the appropriate courses that match their academic level. Students who are not exempted or waived or do not reach the college level standard on the ELAR and/or mathematics tests of the TSIA2 (or reading, writing, and mathematics tests of the TSIA) are required to enroll in designated developmental education coursework in the applicable subject areas. A student who is TSI exempted or waived or has met the minimum score required on one or more sections of the TSI Assessment 2.0 (or TSIA) is not required to enroll in developmental coursework or interventions in the corresponding subject area prior to enrolling in designated college-ready courses.
TSI is applicable to students attending CTC Texas locations, all in-state distance learners, and out-of-state distance learners who are bona fide Texas residents and pay in-state tuition.
Note: Effective January 11, 2021, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) replaced the Texas Success Initiative with the Texas Success Initiative 2.0. There are options to retake portions of the TSIA2 if the individual met certain benchmarks on the TSIA2 and TSIA. Student is responsible for the costs of the TSIA2 and the highest score will be used. (In Fall 2013, the State of Texas introduced the TSI Assessment replacing the Accuplacer, ASSET, Compass, and THEA assessments. Returning students who were previously TSI waived and new students who first enrolled in a Texas public college or university on or after August 26, 2013, were required to take the new TSI Assessment regardless if they had already taken the Accuplacer, ASSET, Compass, and/or THEA.)