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TSI Assessment

Students entering Lamar State College Port Arthur in the Summer 2021 or Fall 2021 semesters who have not taken the Texas State Initiative Assessment (TSIA) are allowed to delay taking the TSIA and may enroll in coursework in Summer 2021 and Fall 2021.

infoMore Information on Delaying the TSIA


The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules require that all students in Texas public colleges and universities complete the TSI Assessment. The purpose of the TSI Assessment is to determine a student’s degree of college readiness in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Download a printable version of an overview of the Texas Success Initiative

Description of the TSI Assessment

The TSI Assessment is a computerized adaptive test taken on a computer. The three sections take approximately 2 to 3 hours. Individual sections take less time. Once complete, TSI Assessment results are available immediately after testing.

Download a printable version of the TSI Student Informative Brochure

TSI Assessment Requirement

All students seeking an Associate’s Degree and certificate programs that are 43 semester credit hours or more are required to take the TSI Assessment, unless exemptions are met. Certificate programs with less than 43 semester credit hours and requiring Math and/or Writing will require a student to take certain parts of the TSI Assessment as a prerequisite, unless exemptions are met. Before a student can take the TSI Assessment, the TSI Pre-Assessment Activity must be completed.

TSI Exemptions

According to 19 TAC §4.54, the following students shall be exempt from the requirements of the TSI, 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.

  1. ACT
    Composite score of 23 or higher with at least a 19 on both English and math sections
  2. SAT
    • Administered prior to March 5, 2016. Combined verbal and math score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on both the verbal test and math test.
    • 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 both reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment.
    • Administered on or after March 5, 2016. 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 for the SAT test administered on or after March 5, 2016.
  3. TAKS
    Minimum score of 2200 on both the English and/or math sections with at least a 3 on the writing component of the 11th grade TAKS (for a period of 3 years from the date of testing)
  4. STAAR Scores for English. A minimum score of Level 2 on the English III STAR end-of-course (EOC) for reading and writing.
  5. STAAR Scores for Mathematics. A minimum score of Level 2 on the Algebra II STAR end-of-course (EOC) for mathematics.
  6. Previous Degree
    A student who has graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education.
  7. Transfer
    Transfer from a private or independent institution or an accredited out-of-state institution and has satisfactorily completed college level coursework as determined by the receiving institution.
  8. Certificate.
    Enroll in a certificate program of one year or less (Level One certificates, 42 or fewer semester credit hours or the equivalent) at a public community college, a public technical institute, or a public state college.
  9. Military.
    Veterans and active duty personnel serving for at least 3 years preceding enrollment.
  10. Non-degree Seeker
    An institution may exempt a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student.
  11. ESOL Waiver
    An institution may grant a temporary waiver from the assessment required under this title for students with demonstrated limited English proficiency in order to provide appropriate ESOL/ESL coursework and interventions. The waiver must be removed prior to the student attempting 15 credit hours of developmental ESOL coursework or attempting 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. Any student who has been determined to be exempt in mathematics, reading, and/or writing shall not be required to enroll in developmental coursework and/or interventions in the corresponding area of exemption.

Registering for the TSI Assessment

Instructions for Registering for the TSI Assessment

Importance of the TSI Assessment

Students prepared to do college-level work graduate at twice the rate of students that are not prepared (The Higher Education Coordination Board 2012). Lamar State College Port Arthur wants all students to be prepared for their academic coursework and to meet their educational goals in order to graduate.

Assessments are indicators of academic performance and are required before, during and after college. The first assessment that students are required to complete is the TSI Assessment. Students that plan to enroll in an institution of Higher Education in Texas must complete the TSI Assessment to assess their academic skills. The TSI Assessment will help to determine if a student is ready to enroll in freshman-level academic coursework in reading, writing and math.

Before taking the new TSI Assessment students must complete the TSI Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA). During the TSI Pre-Assessment Activity students will complete a sample TSI Assessment which provides feedback; learn about the Non-Course Based Options (NCBOs) offered at LSCPA; and finally, identify resources at LSCPA available to students such as tutoring and financial aid. Students must complete the Pre-Assessment Activity and show proof of completion to the Testing Center by completing the form below and submitting by clicking email. LSCPA faculty and staff are committed to helping students reach their college and career goals. So be prepared, stay focused, complete assignments and study for all assessments.