The TSIA (Texas Success Initiative Assessment)
The TSI Assessment (TSIA) is the result of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) mandated by the Texas State Legislature.聽 The assessment is designed to guide Texas public institutions of higher education in helping them determine whether students are ready for聽entry-level college coursework in the areas of English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) and mathematics.聽Students are exempt from this assessment if they meet college readiness benchmarks on the SAT, ACT, STAAR English III or Algebra II EOCs, or successfully complete the high school College Preparatory Course. .聽 TSIA scores and exemptions are valid five years from the date an assessment was taken documenting benchmarks were met.
Students who do not meet a TSI exemption must take the TSI assessment before college enrollment. Students who do not meet one or more of the established TSI benchmarks are admitted, however, they are required to receive聽聽as determined by the institution.
聽For additional information, read the聽聽(Sec. 51.333) and聽
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Students scoring at or above the benchmarks are considered 鈥渃ollege ready鈥 and eligible聽to enroll in any entry level college course (for example, English composition, history, government, or college algebra) without remediation. Some college level courses require passing scores in more than one area.
Below are the TSIA benchmarks that are valid 5 years from the date the benchmark was met.
TSI Initial assessment benchmarks: Assessments taken before聽1/11/21.
- Mathematics: a minimum score of 350
- Reading: a minimum score of 351
- Writing: a minimum score of 340 on the multiple-choice section with an essay score of 4-8 or a score聽less than 340聽on the multiple-choice section,聽a diagnostic level of 4-6, and聽an essay score of 5-8
TSIA2 revised assessment benchmarks: tests taken on or after 01/11/21:
- Mathematics: a minimum score of 950 or less than 950 and a diagnostic level 6
- ELAR (English language arts, writing and reading): a minimum score of 945 on the multiple-choice section with an essay score聽of 5-8, or聽less than 945聽on the multiple-choice section,聽a diagnostic level of 5 or 6, and聽an essay score of 5-8
A student shall be exempt from taking the TSIA if the student met the following benchmarks before 2/15/23:
- scored an ACT college prep assessment composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test. With these scores, the student聽shall exempt both Reading and Writing sections of the TSIA.
- scored an ACT college prep assessment composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the mathematics test.聽With these scores, the student聽shall exempt the Math section of the TSIA.
- taken the SAT administered March 2016 and later and earned聽a minimum score of 530 in Mathematics聽shall exempt the Math section of the TSIA.
- served聽for at least 3 years preceding enrollment, is a聽veteran, on active-duty, or聽a student who is聽or has served as a member of a reserve component of the U.S. armed services.
- transferred from another institution having satisfactorily completed college-level coursework; or
- enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level One certificates) at a public institution.
A student shall be exempt from taking the TSIA if the student meets the following benchmarks on or after聽2/15/23:
- a combined score of 40 on the ACT English and Reading (E+R) tests shall exempt聽both reading and writing or ELAR sections of the TSI Assessment.
- a score of 22 on the ACT Mathematics test shall聽exempt聽the mathematics section of the TSI assessment with聽no composite score required.
- scores from both the ACT administered prior to February 15, 2023,聽and the ACT administered after February 15, 2023, are聽allowed to be used, as long as the benchmarks set forth in the first two bullets of this list are met.
- a minimum score of 530 on聽the SAT Mathematics test administered March 2016 and later聽shall exempt the Math section of the TSIA.
- a minimum score of聽480 on the SAT聽Evidence-Based Reading and Writing test taken聽March 2016 and later earns聽an exemption for聽the reading and writing sections of the聽TSIA.
- served聽on active duty for at least 3 years preceding college enrollment,聽is a veteran, or聽a student who is聽or has served as a member of a reserve component of the U.S. armed services.
- transferred from another institution having satisfactorily completed college-level coursework; or
- enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level One certificates) at a public institution. Student聽Access to TSIA Scores
A student can access their TSIA scores with an account in the聽.
Resources for TSIA2
Kay Humes, Statewide Program Coordinator for Advanced Academics
Phone: (512) 463-8823
贰尘补颈濒:听听advancedacademics@tea.texas.gov
For questions related to the TSIA Reimbursement process please send an email to TSIAReimbursements@tea.texas.gov