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The Texas Success Initiative (TSI), which became state law in 2003, is a program of assessment, advising, developmental education, and student support services that is designed to ensure that students have the skills they need to succeed in college. Although it bears some similarity to its predecessor, the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP), the basic premise of the TSI is that colleges and universities should have the flexibility to design a program that meets an individual student’s needs. The TSI begins with an assessment of entering students’ college readiness. Students may achieve exemption from the TSI by receiving a high score on the SAT, ACT, or eleventh grade TAKS. Students who are not exempt based on one of those scores may take one of four tests (ASSET, COMPASS, ACCUPLACER, or THEA) to assess their skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. The all-important advising process begins after the student has completed the assessment. If the student has not achieved a passing standard on one or more area of the test, faculty and advisors design a strategy and individual plan that is appropriate for that student. The student may need developmental education course work, but other available options include individual tutoring, computer-assisted lab work, and re-testing when the score was close to the passing standard. The decision of when a student is ready for college-level work is left in the hands of the institution, although the law requires re-testing for students whose test performance is below a certain level. Although the TASP had similar provisions and goals, it was much more prescriptive in requiring developmental course work for every student who could not pass the test. The TASP was created with a dual purpose in mind; both to assess college readiness and to serve as a rising junior examination. By contrast, the sole purpose of the TSI is to identify weaknesses in college preparation and address them so that every student is prepared to succeed.

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