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The TSI Assessment Score Report –
So Much More Than Just a Score!
Developmental Education Regional Forum
March 27, 2015
Richard Vela, Coordinator of Testing, Tarrant County College,
Trinity River Campus
Teresa Evans, Coordinator of Testing, Tarrant County College,
Northwest Campus
PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES
Provide information leading to a basic understanding of
the following:
 TSI Assessment (TSI-A) background, content, sequence,
scores, and placement levels
 Identification and comprehension of the test strands for
Developmental Education and Adult Basic Education and
interpretation of the three-part diagnostic score report
 How the diagnostic tests and reports can be accessed,
understood, and utilized by faculty, staff, and administrators
 How results of the TSI-A can be used in holistic advising and
differentiated placement
TSI ASSESSMENT
 First administered in fall of 2013
 Three subject areas: Writing, Reading, and
Mathematics
 Three levels – College Ready, Developmental
Education (DE), and Adult Basic Education (ABE)
 Diagnostic reports for DE and ABE levels
 Untimed – average length of time - 4 to 5 hours
 Computer Adaptive
 Aligns with the Texas College and Career Readiness
Standards
CLASSIFICATIONS
 College Ready (entry-level courses)
 Developmental Education
Knowledge and Skills levels – 9th to 12th grade equivalents
 Developmental Education Diagnostic, or
 ABE Diagnostic Levels 5 and 6
 Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Knowledge and Skills levels – 1st to 8.9 grade equivalents
 ABE Diagnostic Levels 1 to 4
BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
 14 standard questions
 Institutions can add questions
 Example of Background Questions
1. Pre-Assessment Activity: Were you provided with information and/or an
activity to help you understand all of the following: (1) the importance of this
assessment, (2) sample questions, (3) course options, and (4) resources for
students?
2. Years since last math course: How long has it been since you took a
mathematics course or other formal mathematics training?
3. Years studied math in high school: What is the total number of years you
studied mathematics in high school? Count less than a full year as a year, but
do not count a repeated year of the same course as an additional year of study.
TSI-A CUT SCORES
Score Range-310-390
Approved phase-in College Ready cut-scores
Phase 1 –Freshmen entering higher education Fall 2013
 Mathematics -350
 Reading -351
 Writing –Essay Score of 5; Essay Score of 4 and Multiple Choice of 363
Phase 2 –Freshmen entering higher education Fall 2017
•
Mathematics -356
•
Reading -355
•
Writing -Essay Score of 5; Essay Score of 4 and Multiple Choice of 363
Final –Freshmen entering higher education Fall 2019
•
Mathematics -369
•
Reading -359
•
Writing -Essay Score of 5; Essay Score of 4 and Multiple Choice of 363
Approved Developmental Education cut-scores
 Mathematics -336
 Reading -342
 Writing -350
TEST PROGRESSION-WRITING
 Writing multiple choice (20 questions)-If college ready
(score of 363-390), student takes the WritePlacer
 If student scores between 350 and 362, student takes
the DE diagnostic test (48 questions), then student takes
the WritePlacer
 If student scores between 310 and 349, student takes
the ABE diagnostic test (30 questions), AND, if the
student scores an ABE level 4, 5, or 6, THEN the student
will take the WritePlacer
 Students who scores ABE level 1, 2, or 3, will not take
the WritePlacer
TSI WritePlacer
 The Texas College and Career Readiness Writing standards
asks students to write essays that “demonstrate clear focus,
the logical development of ideas in well-organized
paragraphs, and the use of appropriate language that
advances the author’s purpose.”
 WritePlacer automatically evaluates students’ essays written
about one of several prompts provided in the ACCUPLACER
System.
 Students type their essays into an onscreen textbox
 The system returns a holistic score that ranges from 1 to 8
TEST PROGRESSION – READING AND MATH
TSI Placement
Test - 24 or 20
questions
College
Ready-no
additional
testing
Developmental
Education (DE)
Diagnostic Test-48
questions
Adult Basic Education
(ABE) Diagnostic -30
questions on W & R;
40-Math
TSI TEST STRANDS
TSI Writing
Placement
TSI Reading
Placement
TSI Mathematics
Placement
Sentence Structure
Main Idea and
Supporting Details
Elementary Algebra
and Functions
Agreement
Author’s Use of
Language
Intermediate Algebra
and Functions
Sentence Logic
Inferences in a Text or
Texts
Geometry and
Measurement
Essay Revision
Literary Analysis
Data Analysis,
Statistics and
Probability
20 Questions
24 Questions
20 Questions
Diagnostic-48 Questions
Diagnostic-48 Questions
Diagnostic-48 Questions
DIAGNOSTIC REPORTS
Developmental Education Diagnostic Reports
 Four Strands or Content Areas
 Scale Score of 1 to 15
 Proficiency Level-Needs Improvement (1-4);
Limited Proficiency (5-9), Proficient (10-15)
 Proficiency Statements
 Sample Score Reports
DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE-Writing
12
DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE-Reading
13
DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE-Mathematics
14
ABE PLACEMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
 Placement

Levels 1-6 - Corresponds to the National Reporting
System Educational Functioning Levels; Levels 5 and 6 Developmental Education
 Diagnostic

Two Strands-Writing and Reading; Four Strands-Math
National Reporting System (NRS)
Educational Functioning Level Descriptors (EFLD).
NRS is an outcome based reporting system for the state-administered federally funded
Adult Education program.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 4
(grade equivalency 0-1.9)
(grade equivalency 6 – 8.9)
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 5
(grade equivalency 2 - 3.9)
(grade equivalency 9 -10.9)
DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION
LEVEL 3
(grade equivalency 4 - 5.9)
LEVEL 6
(grade equivalency 11 - 12)
DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION
16
ABE Diagnostic Strands
Holistic Advising and
Differentiated Placement
Based on individual strengths and needs
•
TSI Assessment
•
Diagnostic Profile
•
HS GPA/Class Ranking
•
Prior coursework
•
Workplace experience
•
Non-cognitive Factors (motivation, self-efficacy, etc.)
•
Family-Life issues that impact persistence and success (work,
transportation, finances, child care, etc.)
18
Holistic Placement
• Institutions cannot use holistic advising to completely by-pass
developmental education requirements (i.e., make students “TSI
Complete”)
•
Students can be enrolled in a credit-level course, but must also be enrolled in a
developmental education intervention.
•
§4.53 Course Pairing (also known as Mainstreaming)--An instructional strategy
whereby students are enrolled simultaneously in a developmental education
course and/or intervention and the entry-level freshman course of the same
subject matter within the same semester. The developmental component provides
support that advances students' success in the entry-level freshman course.
• Institutions cannot use holistic advising to qualify or place dual
credit students.
19
Examples of Institutions Using
Diagnostics for Course Placement
•
•
San Jacinto College
Brazosport College
Resources Available For
Creating Guide or Matrix
•
•
Performance Level Descriptors – TSI
Assessment Manual
Detailed Placement and Diagnostic Test
Strand Information – TSI Assessment
Manual
ACCESS TO TSI-A SCORE REPORTS
 Score report access is set up by Testing Director/
Coordinator with log-on credentials
 Complete training and sign Confidentiality Agreement
with Testing Director/Coordinator
 College Board training for score access:
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/tsi
 Types of Score Reports

Individual

Group reports by date(s)

Course Placement