Testing and Placement

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI)

The purpose of the Texas Success Initiative is to ensure that students enrolled in Texas public colleges and universities possess the academic skills needed to perform effectively in college-level coursework.

All students subject to the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative must take the TSI Assessment. Students must present scores to register for classes unless otherwise exempt, or are majoring in technical programs of less than 43 credit hours. NOTE: Students enrolling in the General Studies certificate are NOT exempt and are subject to the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative.

The LSCO Testing Center is dedicated to providing students ample opportunities to obtain TSI scores necessary for late enrollment through the twelfth-class day.

The following students shall be exempt from the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative:

1. The following students shall be exempt from the requirements of this title, whereby exempt students shall not be required to provide any additional demonstration of college readiness and shall be allowed to enroll in any entry-level freshman course as defined in §4.53(12) of this title (relating to Definitions):
   1. For 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: composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall be exempt for the reading and writing section of the TSI Assessment, and/or 19 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment;
      2. SAT
         1. SAT administered before March 5, 2016: a combined critical reading (formerly “verbal”) and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on the critical reading test shall be exempt from the reading and writing section of the TSI Assessment; a combined critical reading (formerly “verbal”) and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment.
         2. SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016: a minimum score of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) test shall be exempt for the reading and writing section of the TSI Assessment; a minimum score of 530 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. There is no combined score.
         3. Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered before March 5, 2016, and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016, is not allowable.
   2. For 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 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 required under this title for those corresponding sections; or
      2. STAAR end-of-course (EOC) with a minimum Level 2score of 4000 on the English III shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for both reading and writing, and a minimum Level 2 score of 4000 on the Algebra II EOC shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for the mathematics section.
      3. 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)
      4. 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 assay, shall be exempt for English Language Arts Reading (ELAR)
      • Scores are valid for 5 years but must be dated before 9/1/2021.
   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. For students meeting non-Algebra intensive readiness standards in mathematics as defined in §4.59(d)(1)(B) of this title (relating to Determination of Readiness to Perform Entry-Level Freshman Coursework), institutions may choose to require additional preparatory coursework/interventions for Algebra intensive courses, including MATH 1314/1324/1414 (or their local equivalent). It is the institution’s responsibility to ensure that students are informed of the consequences of successful completion of a mathematics pathways model which results in meeting the mathematics college readiness standard only for specific courses.
   7. A student who is enrolled in a technical 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.
   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 student who completes a college preparatory course under Texas Education Code §28.014 is exempt for twenty-four (24) months from the date of high school graduation with respect to the content area of the course. The student must enroll in the student’s first college-level course in the exempted content area in the student’s first year of enrollment in an institution of higher education. This exemption applies only to the institution of higher education that partners with the school district in which the student is enrolled to provide the course. Additionally, an institution of higher education may enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with a partnering institution of higher education to accept the exemption for the college preparatory course.
2. An institution may exempt a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student.
3. ESOL Waiver–An institution may grant a temporary waiver from the assessment required under this title for students with demonstrated limited English proficiency to provide appropriate ESOL/ESL coursework and interventions. The waiver must be removed after the student attempts 15 credit hours of developmental ESOL coursework or before enrolling in entry-level freshman coursework, whichever comes first, at which time the student would be administered the TSI Assessment. Funding limits as defined in Texas Education Code, §51.3062(l)(1) and (2) for developmental education still apply.
4. Any student who has been determined to be exempt in mathematics, reading, and/or writing under subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall not be required to enroll in developmental coursework and/or interventions in the corresponding area of exemption.

Students whose previous Texas public college or university has determined that they have met minimum passing standards in reading, writing, and/or math are exempt in the curricular area/s indicated but must develop and pursue an Academic Success Plan in any remaining area/s. An official transcript or other appropriate documentation of status must be submitted.

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. 

Otherwise, all full-time and part-time students enrolled in a college-level certificate (see counselors for exceptions) or degree program must take the TSI Assessment for reading, writing, and mathematical skills.

Pre-collegiate courses, such as developmental reading, writing, and math, are not counted in calculating the credit hours for meeting testing requirements. For further information please contact the Testing Center at (409) 882-3330.

Entering LSCO students who are not otherwise exempt must take the TSI Assessment.

Students should contact Advising to determine if TSI testing will be required before enrolling in classes.

Placement scores for the TSI Assessment

Placement scores for the TSIA2 Assessment

TSI Restricted Courses

Some academic courses are blocked from enrollment based on TSI requirements. In such instances, students must pass the appropriate section on an approved TSIA or TSIA2 test or complete the required corequisite course sequence to become eligible to enroll in the courses that are blocked. Restricted courses in each TSI area (reading, writing, and math) are outlined below:

Students must be TSI complete in reading and writing to enroll in:

• ENGL 1302  
• ENGL 2307  
• ENGL 2322  
• ENGL 2323  
• ENGL 2326  
• ENGL 2331  
• ENGL 2341  
• GOVT 2305  
• GOVT 2306  
• PSYC 2301  
• PSYC 2308  
• PSYC 2314  
• SOCI 1301  
• SOCI 1306  
• SOCI 2301  
• SOCI 2306  
• SOCI 2326  
• SOCI 2336  
• SOCI 2340  

Students must be TSI complete in mathematics to enroll in:

• CHEM 1411  
• MATH 1316  
• MATH 1325  
• MATH 1350  
• MATH 2305  
• MATH 2312  
• MATH 2318  
• MATH 2320  
• MATH 2413  
• MATH 2414  
• MATH 2415  

Students whose previous Texas public college or university has determined that they have met minimum passing standards in reading, writing, and/or math are exempt in the curricular area/s indicated but must develop and pursue an Academic Success Plan in any remaining area/s. An official transcript or other appropriate documentation of status must be submitted.

Students who have completed a TSI restricted course previously listed 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.

Dual Credit College Readiness

THECB defines “college readiness” as a 70% likelihood of a student achieving a grade of A, B, or C in an entry-level college-credit course, as measured by meeting certain benchmarks on the SAT, ACT, TSIA, or STAAR English III, or Algebra II EOCs. Once students meet one or more of these benchmarks, they are considered “college-ready,” regardless of their performance in the college-level course. College readiness is determined by subject area.

Dual credit eligibility allows a high school student, who has not met the “college readiness” benchmark, to enroll in an entry-level college course offered for dual credit. Students who are “dual credit eligible” are not considered “college-ready” until they earn a grade of A, B, or C in mathematics and/or college-level course designated as reading and/or writing-intensive.