Clarendon College Texas Success Initiative Plan

Clarendon College establishes this plan to implement the Texas Success Initiative for Texas public institutions of higher education. The plan provides for the assessment and placement of undergraduate students entering the institution, for the provision of developmental education to students who do not have college-level skills in reading, writing, or mathematics, for the provision of quality, accountability, and ongoing improvement of the developmental education program, and for advisement of students at every level of undergraduate course work.

 

Eligibility and Exemptions/Exceptions

 

Each undergraduate student, unless exempt, who enters the institution must be tested for reading, writing, and mathematics skills prior to enrolling in collegiate-level course work. A student who has not been tested may enroll in course work only under the special circumstances provided below, but must take a test approved by the state for the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) no later than the end of the first semester. A student who fails to test during the designated semester will not be permitted to enroll or re-enroll in any courses other than non-degree credit courses until tested.

Exceptional circumstances

A student who has not been tested may enroll for college-level courses if they have a professionally diagnosed and documented disability for which reasonable and appropriate accommodations could not be provided in a timely manner. Such students enrolled without testing will not be permitted to take restricted courses.

 

Exemptions

The following students shall be exempt from the requirements of this plan:

(1)  For a period of five years from the date of testing, a student who is tested and performs at or above the following standards:

(A) ACT: composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on both the English and the mathematics tests;

(B) Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT): a combined verbal and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on both the verbal and the mathematics tests; or

(2)  For a period of three years from the date of testing, received on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) 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)  A student who has graduated with an academic associate or baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education.

(4)  A transfer student from an accredited private or independent institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education who has completed with a "C" or better college-level coursework relating to the three skill areas.

(5)  A student who has previously attended an accredited public or private Texas institution and has been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution.

(6)  A student who is enrolled in a 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.

(7)  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.

(8)  A student who on or after August 1, 1990, was honorable 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.

(b)  An institution may exempt a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student.

 

Assessment

Clarendon College shall assess, with an instrument approved by the THECB the academic skills of each entering undergraduate student prior to enrollment of the student. This assessment shall not be used as a condition of admission to the institution.

            Approved assessment instruments and their minimum passing standards are as follows:

(1)  THEA (formerly TASP): Reading - 230; Mathematics - 230; Writing - 220; Essay - 6.

(2)  ACCUPLACER: Reading Comprehension - 78; Elementary Algebra - 63; Sentence Skills - 80; and Essay - 6.

(3)  ASSET: Reading - 41; Elementary Algebra - 38; Writing (objective) - 40; Essay - 6.

(4)  COMPASS: Reading - 81; Algebra - 39; Writing (objective) - 59; and Essay - 6.

Note: The minimum passing standard for the written essay portion of all tests is a score of 6; however, an essay with a score of 5 will meet this standard if the student meets the objective writing test standard.

A student. may retake an assessment instrument at any time, subject to availability, to determine the student's readiness to perform freshman-level academic coursework.

 

Advising and Developmental Plan

 

All counselors and advisors should use the following plan as they provide academic advising each semester to students who have not passed sections of a test approved for TSI purposes. Download pdf file.

  

Satisfying TSI Requirements

 

Students who fail one of more areas of their test may satisfy TSI requirements by either achieving a passing score on the section failed or earning a grade of "C" or better in a relative college-level course.

 

Continuous remediation is required for students who fail one or more sections of the test taken for the Texas Success Initiative. If a student fails more than one part of their test, they are only required to be in remediation for one area at a time; however, they can elect to take remediation in more than one or all areas.

 

Students With Disabilities

 

Assessment and remediation through Clarendon College's TSI plan is required of all students, including those with disabilities. Necessary accommodations will, however, be made in accordance to federal laws.

Quality, Accountability, and Ongoing Improvement

The purpose of the Clarendon College TSI plan is to prepare students for college-level work and ensure the success of students in higher education. The Clarendon College Curriculum Committee will annually evaluate the relationship between students' performance in individual developmental courses and on related areas of assessment. The curriculum committee will then adjust instructional objectives to better meet students¹ developmental needs.

 

The THECB shall evaluate the effectiveness of TSI on a statewide basis and with respect to each institution. AT the end of each semester, Clarendon College shall report to the Board the following information for undergraduate students: Social Security Number, semester credit hours, grade points earned, ethnicity, gender, date of birth, TSI status, initial assessment instrument, score on initial assessment, type of developmental education received for each area (reading, mathematics, writing), grade in first related non-developmental course, and the results of any subsequent assessment.