TSI Assessment FAQ

The TSIA2 is the assessment instrument used to determine college readiness for non-exempt students, as required by the Texas Success Initiative. The TSIA2 measures your strengths and weaknesses in mathematics, reading, and writing, and it is an indicator of how ready you are to handle college-level courses.

The assessment results and your academic background, goals, and interests are used by advisors to place you in the appropriate courses that will give you the best chances for success. At Lee College, each course you want to register for will require specific level(s) of ELAR and Math, usually indicated by your TSIA2 scores.

Students scoring at or above the cut scores are considered “college-ready” and eligible to enroll in any entry-level college course. Some college-level courses require passing scores in more than one area. The following are the TSIA2 cut scores set by the state.

• ELAR (Integrated Reading and Writing)
  
  • CRC score of a 945-990 with an Essay of 5-8, or
  • CRC of a 910-944 with a Diagnostic Level of 5-6 and an Essay of 5-8
• MATH
  
  • CRC score of 950-990, or
  • CRC score of 910-949 with a Diagnostic Level of 6

Suppose your TSIA2 mathematics or ELAR test score is lower than the college readiness cut-score. In that case, you may retest or be placed in either a developmental or an intervention course to improve your skills and to prepare you for success in college-level courses.

If your score on the TSIA2 CRC Test is lower than the college-level cut scores, you may be automatically routed to the TSIA2 Diagnostic Test for Math or ELAR. These additional test questions provide information on your strengths and weaknesses across each category and your diagnostic level based on your overall performance on the Diagnostic Test. With the TSIA2, a diagnostic level of 5 or higher on the ELAR diagnostic test and a diagnostic level of 6 on the Math diagnostic test may still be considered college-ready. 

If you’ve scored below one or more college readiness benchmarks, your score report will include a Learning Locator Code (LLC), which gives you free access to TSIA2 Learning Resources. TSIA2 Learning Resources is an online library with practice and instructional materials that specifically address the content areas of TSIA2 tests. Access to the entire library of TSIA2 Learning Resources is available at tsia2pearsonperspective.com.

If you are not satisfied with your score, you may retake the TSIA2. However, before retesting, it is strongly recommended that you set aside time for additional study. It is improbable that your score will improve significantly without further review and study. At Lee College, the cost for retesting is $15 per section, and prepayment is required. You will not be able to retest on the same day as the initial testing.

An NCBO is an intervention for students who score slightly below the college-ready standard or the next level of developmental coursework. Students in this range may choose to take an NCBO — content intervention designed to prepare the student for the next level course. The NCBO's are offered in a variety of formats throughout the semester. Currently, there are NCBO's in the following areas:

• MATH 0100 prepares students for TECM 1301, TECM 1341 or TECM 1349, MATH 0420, or MATH 0342
• MATH 0130 prepares students for MATH 1314
• ENRD 0100 prepares students for ENRD 0401
• ENRD 0102 prepares students for ENGL 1301

If you have taken the TSI Assessment at Lee College, other schools can retrieve these scores with your permission. Private and out-of-state institutions would not have access to this database.

Another method is to share your scores with your school of choice through the Student Portal.