Texas Success Initiative SAISD District Wide Implementation

District Goal To provide all students with opportunities to take the TSI and to ensure that the TSI Assessment is not viewed as a deterrent to post secondary education. To ensure all students are eligible to take dual credit courses throughout high school while increasing dual credit participation.

Tested Areas Math Reading Writing Multiple choice with an Essay

Who Tests? All 12th Graders needing to re-test to meet minimum scores All new high school students that have not tested at all. All 8th grade students in reading + (math for students in Algebra I) All 9th - 11th grade students will get one attempt in all areas that they have not met minimum scores on previously.

How Is My Test Scored? Students will receive an individual score report which indicates the students score in mathematics, reading, and writing portions of the TSI and placement for appropriate courses. This is not a “Pass/Fail” exam. Based on how a student performs will determine their entrance into a college-level course that matches their skill level or intervention and or placement into a developmental course.

TSI Exemptions Students who have recently taken approved college assessment tests (ACT, SAT, STAAR, TAKS, TAAS) may be exempt from all, or part of, the TSI Assessment.  SAT, ACT, STAAR, and TSI scores are valid for 5 years, if the student has enrolled in any institution of higher education during that time period.  Use the chart below to determine the scores needed for TSI Exemption.   Reading/Writing Math SAT1  (taken on/after March 5, 2016) 480 Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) (no combined score) 530 Math (no combined score) SAT2 (taken prior to March 5, 2016) 500 Verbal/Critical Reading  with 1070 combined 500 Math with 1070 combined ACT2 23 composite with 19 English 23 composite  with 19 Math SAT: An updated version of the SAT exam was implemented March 2016.  Revised rules for the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) apply for SAT exams taken on or after March 5, 2016 (SAT1); exams taken prior to March 5, 2016 are interpreted under the former college readiness benchmarks (SAT2).  Combining scores from SAT's taken before March 5, 2016 with SAT's taken after March 5, 2016 are not allowed. SAT2 and ACT: the combined score with the specified minimum scores above shall be exempt for those corresponding sections. High scores on the ACT or SAT may qualify the student for the Honors Program.

Studying for the TSI Assessment Can I study for the TSI Assessment? Yes, two official study guide options are available free of charge. From the College Board TSI Assessment Sample Questions Brochure provides practice questions and study information. TSI Web-Based Study App—Texas Version App features practice tests and allows you to familiarize yourself with the content areas on the test. From Other Sites The Khan Academy TSI Assessment Brochure Library Student Informative Brochure Sample Questions

Math Flow Chart

Reading Cut Scores

Writing Flow Chart

Subject to change

2016 Results Grade Level Total Tested Reading Math Writing # Tested % College Ready Grade 8 2015 168 143 57% 127 39% 138 62% Grade 8 2016 3,098 3,087 13% 724 27% 30 43% Grade 9 2015 826 767 38% 783 22% 784 Grade 9 2016 3,289 3,202 3,204 6% 3,180 19% Grade 10 2015 308 266 41% 252 21% 253 40% Grade 10 2016 2,729 2,679 2,663 9% 2,680 Grade 11 2015 1,171 1,113 35% 1,129 1,095 44% Grade 11 2016 2,216 2,140 2,173 2,136 34% Grade 12 2015 231 200 37% 152 28% 178 Grade 12 2016 1,973 1,877 30% 1,946 17% 1,865 45% TOTAL 2015 2,664 2,461 2,420 23% 2,428 TOTAL 2016 13,287 12,975 18% 10,696 11% 9,884 29%

2016 Results

https://www.accuplacer.org Administering the TSI All students need to have seen the Pre-Assessment Activity Power Point prior to taking the TSI Assessment. Please keep a detailed list of all the students that have completed the PAA

. Open Chrome. In the top-right corner, click the Chrome menu       . Click Settings. Click Show advanced settings. Under "Privacy," click Content settings. Under "Pop-ups," select Allow all sites to show pop-ups 1 Before testing commences please run the computer check found on the home page of the Accuplacer/TSI Page to ensure each of your computers meet the system requirements. Use Google Chrome to administer the test and ensure that the Pop-Up Block is disabled.

2 1 To administer the test you will be using the “Voucher” method. To produce the vouchers for the students you first login to the Accuplacer/TSI website using the credentials provided to you by Guidance and Counseling.

Once logged in you will see a pop home screen with important TSI information. Close out and proceed to the ”Vouchers” tab.

Using the Voucher Method 2 1 3 4 5 (1) You will need to complete and upload a student pre-registration Excel Spreadsheet with your current testers. You can create/upload rosters as you test the students and do not have to upload all students at once. (2)You can download the provided template and fill in all of your students or simply download your rosters from the district testing database or Test Hound and manipulate them to conform to the required specifications (3). You can give each testing group spreadsheet a unique name to aid with identification of test sessions and/or current testers. (4) Select your desired spreadsheet of your current testers. (5) Once the file is uploaded “click” Import.

Using the Voucher Method cont. A “less is more” approach is the best way to get the required vouchers generated. The TSI provided template asks for more information than is needed. Ensure that your excel rosters have at minimum the student’s ID#, First, Middle, Last name and Date of Birth.

1 3 3 2 4 1. Once your template has been imported and you have added all your students testing, you will need to select the proper Branching profile you want the students to test (i.e. Reading, Writing, Math or all). 2 Select all the students add a 3 branching profile and apply the Branching Profile then 4 generate vouchers.

All of the students will be assigned a voucher with a unique number that can be printed. They will need their ID# and DOB along with their unique voucher number to start testing. They would need to select “Use Voucher” on the Accuplacer/TSI home screen to commence testing.

Once the student has successfully logged in using their voucher, they will be taken to this screen. Here the student should wait for you to approve the testing session remotely from your computer. They should NOT select the “Next” button. If a student does select the “next” button do not panic . You can still approve them remotely from your computer. (If for some reason you could not approve their test from your computer, you can approve them at their computer by using your same log in credentials. )

When all of your students are awaiting your approval to commence testing, you will go to your computer and select the Dashboard tab – Test Center Management Tab– From here you will be able to approve students waiting to test. From this screen a test proctor can also monitor all testing and print test results once complete, pause testing, invalidate a testing session.

*PLEASE NOTE THAT ONCE A STUDENT IS LOGGED INTO THE TESTING SITE THEY WILL FIRST BE ASKED TO COMPLETE THE STUDENT INFORMATION PAGE. THIS PAGE WILL REQUIRE STUDENTS TO HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS. PLEASE HAVE THE STUDENTS USE THEIR MICROSOFT 365 EMAIL ADDRESS IF THEY DO NOT HAVE ONE.(It will also take a made up email address and students can update at a later time if they need to retake a test)

Once students have successfully complete the student information page they will be taken to the “Student Privacy Policy” page. They will need to accept in order to proceed. Then through a few others and a page on the “Directions For Answering Questions”. Once the student selects the “Start Test Session” button there is no going back, their testing session has begun and a unit has been utilized.

Students will then go through a series of background questions Students will then go through a series of background questions. The First questions is the most important. STUDENTS WILL NEED TO ANSWER YES TO THIS FIRST QUESTION IN ORDER TO PROCEED WITH TESTING and NO to “Are you an International Student” (Question 8).

Once the students are done with all of the Background Questions they will proceed through two sample questions and finally the test. At any time during the test if a student is ill or can not complete a test, you can have the student select the “Save and Finish Later” button in the upper right had corner of the test. The student will have to complete the started test within 14 days otherwise they will have to start again.

This is an example of what the Test Center Management Screen will look like during a testing administration and some of the actions that can be taken by a test proctor.

Once a student has completed all portions of their testing session(s), their individual line will turn blue and the actions will allow for the testing proctor to view/print and save the test results.

2 1 Once the “View/Print” Button has been selected an Individual Score Report will be produced and a Print button will be present. Once the print control screen is generated, change the printer destination (1) to PDF and select save (2). You will then be prompted to select a destination and how you want the file to be named. It is important that we all save the file with Last Name, First Name and Id#. Save them in a folder with the date those students tested. CTCs/Proctors/Counselors will need to assist one another in keeping these files in a secure location for future reference.

To have a student resume a testing session you will have to log into the computer that the student will e using with your log in credentials. Go to the “Administer Test” Tab and then to the “Manage Test Sessions”. From here you can enter the student’s ID# to search for the open test. The students name will appear below the results bar. Select the action button and resume and the student will be prompted to continue with the test.

Testing Accommodations and Test Units Campus Testing Units; Campuses will have a designated number of TSI units uploaded to their school account from the Testing Department. Please keep an eye on your account and your students. Units can run out quickly especially if students are not monitored and are wasting units. For students that have Oral Accommodations on State Assessments; They can request for their TSI questions and or answer choices to be read aloud. No Clarifications, Dictionaries, Thesaurus, are allowed during testing. Calculators are provided by the testing application. Scratch paper is allowed but all scratch paper will need to be collected anytime there is a break in testing and shredded at the end of a testing session.

Contact Information Robert Forti 210-554-2465 rforti1@saisd.net Shara Contreras scontreras@saisd.net Stephanie Quesada 210-554-2465 squesada1@saisd.net