GenEd Texas Success Initiative (TSI)

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a state-legislated program that requires all non-exempt undergraduate students at Texas public colleges and universities to be assessed in reading, writing and math skills prior to enrolling in college, and to be advised based on the results of that assessment. Each institution determines what to do with students who don't pass one or more parts of the test. Institutions have the flexibility to determine the best path for individual students to take to become college ready and to demonstrate that they are ready for college-level courses.

Students can use the same tests previously used for TASP purposes: the ASSET, the ACCUPLACER, the COMPASS and the THEA (formerly known as the TASP Test). The law requires that individuals who score below a deviation standard set by the Coordinating Board must retest. The Coordinating Board has set the deviation standard and those standards can be found in the Texas Success Initiative Rules. Institutions have the prerogative to require students to make a higher score than the state's minimum as a prerequisite to certain courses

Students are exempt from taking a test for the Texas Success Initiative if a qualifying score has been made on the TAKS, the SAT or the ACT. There are other exemptions/exceptions that may apply. Check with an advisor, or link to the Texas Success Initiative Rules or the Coordinating Board's TSI website for more information.

The rules allow Texas public institutions to declare a student college-ready. When that determination is made, it will be recorded on the student's official transcript. Texas public institutions will determine the college-ready status of students who transfer to them from a private or out-of-state institution by reviewing their transcript.

Students participating in GenEd must comply with TSI regulations. Some policies may vary from one UT System university to another. One developmental course is offered online from UT Arlington via the UT TeleCampus:

MATH 0301: Developmental Math

Contact the UT TeleCampus or an advisor at the appropriate campus for more information:

UT Arlington
Assessment Services
Robyn Hook
phone: 817-272-3140
email: rhook@exchange.uta.edu  

UT Austin
TSI Office
Christine Huston
phone: 512-471-8277
email: chuston@mail.utexas.edu  

UT Brownsville
Testing Office
Patrick McGehee
phone: 956-882-7083
email: pmcgehee@utb.edu  

UT Dallas
Learning Resource Center
Robert Nelson
phone: 972-883-4098
email: robnel@utdallas.edu  

UT El Paso
Academic Advising Center
Pat Caro
phone: 915-747-5290
email: pcaro@utep.edu
 
UT Pan American
University Testing Services
Sylvia Martinez
phone: 956-381-2735
email: martinezs@panam.edu  

UT Permian Basin
Office of the Registrar
Ralph Jimenez
phone: 432-552-2637
email: jimenez_r@utpb.edu  

UT San Antonio
Testing Services
Rhonda O'Cana
phone: 210-458-5170
email: rhonda.ocana@utsa.edu  

UT Tyler
Testing Center
Jim Hutto
phone: 903-566-7204
email: jhutto@mail.uttyl.edu  


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