Pathways to Persistence
and Success
Policies and programming in support
of the Texas Success Initiative
PRE-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Pre-Assessment Activities (TAC §4.55)—No students take the
TSI Assessment “cold turkey”
Activities address
• Importance of assessment
• Testing process and sample questions/feedback
• Remediation options
• Institutional and community resources
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TSI ASSESSMENT
MATHEMATICS, READING, AND WRITING
• TSI Statute (51.3062) applies to new students not
otherwise exempt
• Classifications
• College Ready (entry-level courses)
• Developmental Education
Knowledge and Skills levels - 9th to 12th grade equivalents
• Developmental Education Diagnostic, or
• ABE Diagnostic Levels 5 and 6
• Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Knowledge and Skills levels - 1st to 8.9th grade equivalents
• ABE Diagnostic Levels 1 to 4
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NATIONAL REPORTING LEVELS (NRS)
EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONING LEVEL DESCRIPTORS (EFLD).
NRS is an outcome based reporting system for the state-administered federally funded
Adult Education program.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 4
(grade equivalency 0-1.9)
(grade equivalency 6 – 8.9)
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 5
(grade equivalency 2 - 3.9)
(grade equivalency 9 -10.9)
DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 6
(grade equivalency 4 - 5.9)
(grade equivalency 11 - 12)
DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION
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BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
1. Pre-Assessment Activity: Were you provided with information and/or an activity
to help you understand all of the following: (1) the importance of this assessment,
(2) sample questions, (3) course options, and (4) resources for students?
2. High school graduate or GED certificate: Which statement best describes your
high school status?
3. Time since credential: How long ago did you graduate from high school or receive
a GED?
4. Years studied English in high school: What is the total number of years you
studied English in high school? Count less than a full year as a year, but do not
count a repeated year of the same course as an additional year of study.
5. Years since last math course: How long has it been since you took a mathematics
course or other formal mathematics training?
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BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
6.
Years studied math in high school: What is the total number of years you
studied mathematics in high school? Count less than a full year as a year,
but do not count a repeated year of the same course as an additional
year of study.
7.
Ethnic origin: How do you describe your ethnic origin?
8.
Racial description: How do you describe your race?
9.
International: Are you an international student?
10. Education Father/Male Guardian Revised: What is the highest level of
education completed by your father or male guardian?
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BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
11. Education Mother/Female Guardian Revised: What is the highest level of
education completed by your mother or female guardian?
12. Language First: What language did you learn to speak first?
13. Language Read Best: What language do you read/write best?
14. Language Speak Best: What language do you speak/understand best?
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WHAT DOES THE ASSESSMENT COVER
Mathematics
Multiple-choice assessment. Approximately 20 items on the
TSI placement test and 10 items in each section of the TSI
diagnostic test
•
Elementary Algebra and Functions
•
Intermediate Algebra and Functions
•
Geometry and Measurement
•
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
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WHAT DOES THE ASSESSMENT COVER
Reading
Multiple-choice assessment. Approximately 24 items on the
TSI placement test and 10 to 12 items in each section of
the TSI diagnostic test
•
Literary Analysis
•
Main Idea and Supporting Details
•
Inferences in a Text or Texts
•
Author’s Use of Language
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WHAT DOES THE ASSESSMENT COVER
Writing - contains a multiple-choice section and an essay section.
Multiple-choice section has approximately 20 items on the
TSI placement test and 10 to 12 items in each section
of the TSI diagnostic test
•
Essay Revision
•
Agreement (subject–verb agreement and pronoun agreement)
•
Sentence Structure
•
Sentence Logic
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WHAT DOES THE ASSESSMENT COVER
Writing - Essay
Five-paragraph persuasive essay (approximately 350–500
words) on a controversial issue or one of current interest.
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TSI ASSESSMENT – TESTING PROCESS
MATHEMATICS/READING
Student takes TSI Placement Component
• Meets or exceeds CR threshold? (M=350; R=351)
• Yes = enrolls in credit course
• No= takes Diagnostic Component
• DE Diagnostic (M=336-349; R=342-350) OR
• ABE Diagnostic (M=310-335; R=310-341)
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TSI ASSESSMENT DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE
MATHEMATICS
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TSI ASSESSMENT DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE
READING
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TSI ASSESSMENT – TESTING PROCESS
WRITING
Student takes TSI Placement Component
• Meets or exceeds ABE threshold? (350)
• Yes = takes Essay component
• Essay 4 and 363+ = CR (student enrolls in credit course) OR
• Essay 5-8 = CR (student enrolls in credit course)
• Essay 0-3 OR Essay 4 and <363 = takes DE Diagnostic
• No= takes ABE Diagnostic Component (no essay is administered)
• ABE Diagnostic Results = Levels 4, 5 and 6 → takes Essay
component (see above), OR
• ABE Diagnostic Results = Levels 1-3
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TSI ASSESSMENT DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE
WRITING
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HOLISTIC ADVISING AND
DIFFERENTIATED PLACEMENT
Based on individual strengths and needs
•
TSI Assessment
•
Diagnostic Profile
•
HS GPA/Class Ranking
•
Prior coursework
•
Workplace experience
•
Non-cognitive Factors (motivation, self-efficacy, etc.)
•
Family-Life issues that impact persistence and success (work,
transportation, finances, child care, etc.)
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ACCELERATED OPTIONS
•
Integration of Developmental Education Reading and
Writing (upper-level)
•
Mainstreaming/Course-pairing
•
Non-Course Competency-Based Options (NCBOs)
•
Modular/Emporium-style delivery
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TSI RESOURCES
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TSI Statute
THECB Rules
TSI/Exemptions
TSI-DE Frequently Asked Questions
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TSI ASSESSMENT RESOURCES
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TSI ASSESSMENT Approved Cut Scores
TSI ASSESSMENT Test Content
TSI ASSESSMENT Background Questions
TSI ASSESSMENT Sample Test Questions
TSI ASSESSMENT WritePlacer Sample Essays
TSI ASSESSMENT Student Informational Brochure
TSI ASSESSMENT Interpreting Your Score
TSI ASSESSMENT CB Overview Blueprint
TSIA ABE Diagnostic - Level Descriptors
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THECB CONTACTS:
• Suzanne Morales-Vale
Director, Developmental and Adult Education
suzanne.morales-vale@thecb.state.tx.us
(512) 427-6262
• Terri Daniels
Assistant Director, Developmental Education
terri.daniels@thecb.state.tx.us
(512) 427-6267
• Alan Bugbee
Director, TSI Assessment
alan.bugbee@thecb.state.tx.us
(512) 427-6244
• Linda Munoz
Director, Adult Education
linda.munoz@thecb.state.tx.us
(512) 427-6525
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