Developmental Education

ACADEMIC ADVISING 25-26 DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION PLAN

MISSION

The mission of developmental education (DE) under the department of Academic Advising at Texas A&M University-Texarkana (A&M-Texarkana) is to facilitate the academically challenging, engaging, and rewarding growth and scholarly development of students whose assessment scores suggest they need our services to help students sharpen their skills, enable students to satisfy the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA), and ensure students enroll and succeed in college level courses.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Developmental Education (DE) Plan for Texas A&M University-Texarkana is to provide pertinent information about the University's developmental education program.

TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE (TSI) REQUIREMENTS

According to Texas Administrative Code (Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter C, Rule §4.54), students who attend higher education institutions in Texas must show mastery of determined levels (i.e., readiness standards) of English, Language Arts, and Reading (ELAR) and mathematics skills.

HB 2223

In June 2017, Governor Abbott signed into law Texas House Bill 2223, mandating that all public higher education institutions in the state develop and implement corequisite models to deliver developmental education. The following enrollment percentages are mandated benchmarks for the developmental education (DE) corequisite model: fall 2018, 25%; fall 2019, 50%; fall 2020, 75%.

TSI EXEMPTION AND EXCEPTIONS

The following students shall be exempt from Texas Success Initiative (TSI) developmental education requirements:

  1. Students who test at or above the following standards valid five (5) years from the date of testing:
    1. ACT: composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English and the mathematics tests; or
    2. SAT SCORES PRIOR TO MARCH 2016:
      SAT combined critical reading and math score: 1070
      Reading & Writing Exempt: minimum of 500 on critical reading
      Math Exempt: minimum of 500 on the math test
    3. SAT SCORES MARCH 2016 and on:

            Reading & Writing Exempt: minimum of 480 on Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing (EBRW)
            Math Exempt: minimum of 530 on the math test

   2. STAAR end-of-course (EOC):

  • Reading & Writing Exempt:  minimum Level 2 score of 4000 on the English III
  • Math Exempt: minimum Level 2 score of 4000 on the Algebra II EOC.

   3. Students who have graduated with associate or baccalaureate degrees from Texas institutions of higher education.

   4. Students who transfer from private or independent institutions of higher education or accredited out-of-state institutions of       higher education and who have satisfactorily completed college-level course work with a “C” or better in one course from                 each of the three areas listed below:

            ELAR-- ENGL 1301, 1302, 2321, 2322, 2323, 2331, 2332, 2326, 2327, 2328, 2341, 2342, 2343, HIST 1301, 1302, 2301, 2311.

            Mathematics--MATH 1314 or higher; PYSC 2317.

   5. Students who have previously attended any accredited Texas public institution and have been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution.

   6. Students who are serving on active duty as members of the Armed Forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or as Members of reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States and have been serving for at least three (3) years preceding enrollment; and

   7. Students who, on or after August 1, 1990, were honorably discharged, retired, or released from active-duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard or service as members of reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States.

    8. 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.

     9. A student who successfully completes a college preparatory course under Texas Education Code §28.014 is exempt for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of high school graduation with respect to the content area of the course. The student must enroll in the student's first college-level course in the exempted content area in the student's first year of enrollment in an institution of higher education. This exemption applies only at the institution of higher education that partners with the school district in which the student is enrolled to provide the course. Additionally, an institution of higher education may enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with a partnering institution of higher education to accept the exemption for the college preparatory course.

MULTIPLE MEASURES

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has prescribed the following multiple measures guidelines for student course placement. Students who meet the following criteria may enter college-level courses beginning Fall 2023:

  • Student has attempted the TSIA in all areas.
  • Student has completed 4 years of English and 4 years of Math. *There is no requirement to level of math completed, so long as the student was enrolled for 4 years in math.
  • Student has earned a minimum cumulative 3.30 High School GPA (not rounded).

If the student earns a C or better in the college level course, they will be considered TSI complete in the corresponding subject area. If the student earns a D, the student must retake the college level course in the following semester. If the student earns an F, the student must enroll in the developmental course.

A&M-TEXARKANA’S DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION PLAN

The DE plan plan for A&M-Texarkana is decentralized and involves collaboration with the Deans and Faculty of the College of Arts, Sciences and Education (CASE) and College of Business, Engineering and Technology (CBET), Admissions, University Registrar, Testing Center, Academic Advising, and representatives from the Office of Student Success.  Representatives from these areas will comprise the DE Committee.

Students who transfer to A&M-Texarkana without successfully completing the DE sequence at their previous institutions must successfully complete A&M-Texarkana’s developmental education sequence within 27 attempted semester credit hours (SCH) at A&M-Texarkana.

All students are required to complete English, Language Arts, and Reading (ELAR) TSI requirements within 30 attempted semester credit hours at A&M-Texarkana. Students requiring a Mathematics course sequence as part of their degree requirements, such as programs with an algebra-intensive pathway, should plan on fulfilling Mathematics TSI requirements within the first 30 earned semester credit hours to ensure their degree can be completed in a timely manner.  

Students are permitted to enroll in non-developmental education courses while completing TSI requirements within the allowable attempted SCH limit.  

The A&M-Texarkana plan consists of seven components:

  1. Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA)
  2. Assessment of College Level Readiness Skills (reading, writing, and mathematics)
  3. Intrusive and Individual Developmental Advising
  4. DE Corequisite Model
  5. Guidelines for Concurrent Enrollment with Credit Courses and Developmental Courses
  6. Faculty Development
  7. Assessment of DE Plan

ASSESSMENT OF COLLEGE LEVEL READINESS SKILLS

Per the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter C, Rule §4.54, all undergraduate students (including first-time-in-college and transfer students) who do not meet the above stated exemptions and exceptions must complete the TSI Assessment(s) to evaluate readiness for college prior to enrolling in a college level course at A&M-Texarkana. All students who do not meet the minimum passing standards in all areas are required to participate in the A&M-Texarkana’s DE Plan each semester until they are TSI complete.

DROP POLICY

Students may not initiate a drop from either course in the corequisite pairing without instructor approval.  Students who unsuccessfully attempt the same developmental education intervention for the third time will be limited to enrollment  in only developmental education courses until TSI requirements are met.

  • If a student is enrolled in one or more developmental education course and voluntarily withdraws from all courses at the university, it will not count as an unsuccessful attempt.
  • Withdrawing from the university or only taking developmental education courses may negatively impact students' financial aid status.
  • If a student is flagged for an administrative drop due to non-attendance in a developmental education course or the college-level corequisite, the student may also be dropped from the required corequisite pairing at instructor discretion.
  • must only enroll in developmental courses if they are attempting the same developmental education intervention for the third time.

TSI-A College Ready Scores and Developmental Education Placement for Mathematics

Students who have not satisfied the TSI mathematics (TSIM) requirement are required to enroll in one of the following placement options:

College Ready

College Ready Math score:  TSIM score of 950-990 or TSIM score of 910-949 with a Diagnostic Level of 6. Students meeting this criteria may enroll in a college-level math course such as MATH 1314 (College Algebra), MATH 1325 (Math for Business and Social Sciences I), MATH 1332 (Contemporary Mathematics I), and MATH 1342 (Elementary Statistical Methods).

Co-requisite Pathway Placement

  •  Algebra Intensive College Level Math Pathway (Math 0302 and MATH 1314 or MATH 1324): TSIM score of 910-949 & Diagnostic 4-5
  • Non-Algebra Intensive College Level Math Pathway (Math 0302 and MATH 1332 or MATH 1342): TSIM score of 910-949 & Diagnostic 1-5
  •  Co-requisite Placement= MATH 0302 Intermediate Algebra & College Level Math (CLM) Pathway [According to major degree plan requirements]

Developmental Placement

  • TSIA Score= less than 910 & ABE Diagnostic Level= 1-4
  • Dev Ed Course Placement= MATH 0301: Elementary Algebra

Courses affected by enrollment in Developmental Education Math

BIOL 1306
& BIOL 1106		Biology for Science Majors I
and Biology for Science Majors I Lab		4
BIOL 1307
& BIOL 1107		Biology for Science Majors II
and Biology for Science Majors II Lab		4
BIOL 1308
& BIOL 1108		Biology for Non-Science Majors I
and Biology for Non-science Majors I Lab		4
BIOL 1309
& BIOL 1109		Biology for Non-Science Majors II
and Biology for Non-science Majors II Lab		4
BIOL 2301
& BIOL 2101		Human Anatomy and Physiology I
and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab		4
BIOL 2302
& BIOL 2101		Human Anatomy and Physiology II
and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab		4
CHEM 1305Introductory Chemistry3
CHEM 1307
& CHEM 1117		General Chemistry for Engineering Students
and General Chemistry for Engineering Students Lab		4
CHEM 1311
& CHEM 1111		General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I (Lab)		4
CHEM 1312
& CHEM 1112		General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II (Lab)		4
MATH 1314College Algebra3
MATH 1324Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences I3
MATH 1332Contemporary Mathematics I3
MATH 1342Elementary Statistical Methods3
MATH 1350Fundamentals of Mathematics I3
MATH 2413Calculus I4
PHYS 1301College Physics I3
PHYS 1302College Physics II3
PHYS 2325University Physics I3
PHYS 2326University Physics II3
PSYC 2317Statistical Methods in Psychology3

Pass/Fail Scenarios Developmental Corequisite Model:

  • If a student passes MATH 0302, but failed college level Math, they must retake only college level Math.
  • If a student passes college level Math, they become TSI math complete.
  • If a student failed both MATH 0302 and college level Math, they may retake the co-requisite requirement.

TSI-A College Ready Scores and Developmental Education Placement for English, Language Arts, and Reading (ELAR)

Students who have not satisfied the reading, and/or writing TSI requirements, must enroll in a corequisite ENGL 1301/ENGL 0399 concurrent with enrolling in any college level course.

College Ready

  • ELAR score= a 945-990 with an Essay of 5-8  or ELAR of a 910-944 with a Diagnostic Level of 5-6 and an Essay of 5-8

Developmental Co-requisite Placement

  • TSI-A Score
    • Not college ready (CR) in ELAR
  • Developmental Ed Course Placement

Pass/Fail Scenarios:

• If a student passes ENGL/DE, they move to ENGL 1302
• If a student fails ENGL but passes DE, they retake ENGL alone
• If a student passes ENGL but fails DE, they move to ENGL 1302
• If a student fails ENGL and fails DE, they retake ENGL and DE