THECB Updates: TSI, Developmental and Adult Education TCCIA Conference June 1, 2015 Suzanne Morales-Vale Terri Daniels Developmental and Adult Education Unit Division of College Readiness and Success

Getting students “to and through” TSI Assessment – beyond the test score Newly-Approved Rule Amendments* TSI Operational Plan Update – Texas State University – Statewide PD Program – BASE NCBOs – ACGM Update Current/Proposed Research Agenda Legislative Update Updates on Promising Practices Q&A * Approved by the Board (4/23) TODAY’S AGENDA Page

“As you know, we can no longer use the traditional approach to developmental education, which has been a long sequence of remedial classes that do not count toward a degree and few students are able to complete.” – US Education Secretary Duncan, August 12, 2014, Washington DC, DE Summit “Access without adequate preparation is not opportunity.” – Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Paredes, August 19, 2014, State Strategic Planning Meeting NATIONAL DE REFORM AND COMPLETION AGENDA Page 3

STATEWIDE DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION PLAN * VISION STATEMENT: By fall 2017, Texas will significantly improve the success of underprepared students by addressing their individualized needs through reliable diagnostic assessment, comprehensive support services, and non-traditional interventions, to include modular, mainstreaming, non-course competency- based, technologically-based, and integrated instructional models. * developed and vetted through stakeholder collaboration; approved by the Board in TSI Operational Plan - VERSION 2.0 4

Developmental education students face serious barriers on their pathway to certificate and degree attainment 5 Developmental Education Pipeline at Public Two-Year Colleges Fall 2007 Cohort * Fall 2009 Cohort * Fall 2010 Cohort * Cohort total: Cohort total: 116,207 Cohort total: 125,853 Of students below state standard* … 100 … in reading… in writing… in math Enrolled in developmental education 71/ 62/ 6563/ 55/ 6083/ 74/ 76 Achieved college readiness 58/ 56/ 5054/ 49/ 4531/ 39/ 33 Successfully completed first college-level course 38/ 38/ 3733/ 33/ 3415/ 18/ 18 *entering cohort tracked two years for readiness measure and three years for college-level course.

TSI ASSESSMENT DIAGNOSTIC PROFILE MATHEMATICS

TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE (TAC) - TSI RULES – Title 19, Part I, Chapter 4, Subchapter C – Rules § §4.62 8

TSI RULES – APPROVED AMENDMENT Rule §4.53 Definitions (7) Co-requisite (also known as mainstreaming)-- An instructional strategy whereby students are co-enrolled in a developmental education course or NCBO, as defined in paragraph (18) of this section, and the entry-level freshman course of the same subject matter within the same semester. The developmental component provides support aligned directly with the learning outcomes, instruction, and assessment of the entry-level freshman course, and makes necessary adjustments as needed in order to advance students' success in the entry-level freshman course. 9

TSI RULES - APPROVED AMENDMENT Rule §4.56. Assessment Instrument Beginning with the institution's first class day of Academic Year (fall) 2013, an institution of higher education shall use the TSI Assessment offered by the College Board as the only Board-approved assessment instrument under this title. Any previously-employed assessments (ACCUPLACER, Compass, THEA, Asset, Compass ESL, ACCUPLACER ESL) can no longer be used under this title for entering students who initially enroll in any course on or after the institution's first class day in fall 2013 or for any students retesting for TSI purposes. Institutions administering the TSI Assessment must follow the requirements and processes for test administration as set forth by the THECB and the test vendor. 10

TSI RULES – APPROVED AMENDMENT Rule §4.57 College Ready and Adult Basic Education (ABE) Standards (a) – (b) No Change. (c) The Phase I, II, and Final Phase college readiness passing standard for the writing portion of the TSI Assessment is a placement score of at least 350, and an essay score of at least a 5. Other demonstrations of writing college readiness include a placement score of at least 363, and an essay score of 4; or a placement score of less than 350, and an ABE Diagnostic level of at least a 4, and an essay score of at least a 5. NOTE: This clarification does not reflect any change to the writing college readiness standard and is only a clarification to the rule in effect since launch of TSIA (fall 2013) 11

TSI RULES – APPROVED AMENDMENT Rule §4.60 Determination of Readiness to Perform Entry-level Freshman Coursework (a) An institution shall determine when a student is ready to perform entry-level freshman coursework using: (1) Developmental education coursework and/or intervention learning outcomes developed by the Board based on the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards; [and] (2) Student performance on one or more appropriate assessments, including scores resulting from a student's retaking of the TSI Assessment; and [.] (3) Student qualification for one or more TSI exemptions as outlined in Section 4.54 (relating to Exemptions, Exceptions, and Waivers). (b) An institution may enroll a student who has not met the college readiness standard on the TSI Assessment and is not otherwise exempt in an entry-level freshman course if the student is co-enrolled in developmental education, as defined in §4.53(7) or §4.53(8) of this title (relating to Texas Success Initiative). Successful completion of the entry-level freshman course is demonstration of the student’s college readiness, independent of his/her performance in co-enrolled developmental education. 12

TSI Operational Plan for Lower Skilled Students TIMELINE Summer-Fall 2014 Tri-agency meetings to develop plan January-February 2014 Vetted with stakeholders during 10 regional meetings May 2014 Statewide Webinar April 24, 2014 Approved by Board June 22, 2014 Advisor’s Conference September 22-24, 2014 Pathways to Progress Conference 13

Recommendation 1: Phase-in Implementation of the Plan Phase I, starting fall 2014  Identify and select colleges to  implement, or continue to implement, various programs and initiatives that serve students testing into basic academic skill levels;  inform statewide ongoing professional development efforts  mentor other colleges in implementing or scaling initiatives/programs  Provide statewide professional development for all institutions TSI Operational Plan - VERSION

Recommendation 1, cont. Phase II, starting fall 2015  Selected colleges from Phase I to continue as mentor colleges in Phase II;  All institutions to implement or scale programmatic initiatives serving students testing at basic academic skill levels; and  Professional development and training opportunities to continue during this phase. 15

TSI PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Purpose: to implement a statewide, professional development program during Fiscal Years that equips Texas public institutions of higher education to effectively address the needs of underprepared students entering higher education. Provider: The Education State University (Contract Term: January 2015 – August 2017) Areas of Focus: Advising and Placement Non-Traditional Instruction Career Pathways 16

TSI PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Timeline: Beginning April 2015 – Ongoing: Needs Analysis  Identify services and programs for lower-skilled learners currently being implemented  Identify gaps in services  Focus on advising/placement Beginning June 2015 – Ongoing: Trainings/Workshops  Advising and placing students assessed at BASE levels  Contextualized instruction models  Building career pathways  Dates and times for trainings will be provided as they become available.  Topics will be added based on results from needs analysis 17

Recommendation 2: Refer Students Not HS Complete Institutions shall not use the TSI Assessment to test students without a high school diploma or its equivalent, but instead should advise and refer them to GED programs or other high school completion programs, both internal and external to the institution, including community or school-based Drop Out Recovery programs (students under the age of 26). This recommendation does not pertain to high school students pursuing college credit through dual credit or dual enrollment. 18

Recommendation 2: UPDATE Ability to Benefit restored (partially) SEC (a) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.— 2 (1) Subsection (d) of section 484 of the HEA 3 is amended (Fed. HE Act) Non-HS complete students Pass a federally-approved test, or Successfully complete 6 SCH IHE declares them eligible (up to $4800) Formal rules expected by July

Recommendation 3: Clarify and Identify Terms Developmental Education (DE) courses/interventions for students who are  Directed by Developmental Education Diagnostic or  Directed by ABE Diagnostic with Levels 5-6 NEW: Basic Academic Skills Education (BASE) courses/interventions for students who are  Directed by ABE Diagnostic with Levels 3-4  Proposed bill (HB 1054) 20

Recommendation 4: Identify/Develop BASE NCBOs Faculty content experts identify and/or develop non- course competency-based options (NCBOs) to be included in the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) and specially designed to address needs of students assessing at Levels 3-4 (BASE). Examples of current Non-course Competency Based Options (NCBOs)  3-week intensive basic skills “boot camp”  1-3 hour weekly tutorials concurrent with WECM or ACGM course  Contextualized basic skills support with course 21

Recommendation 4: UPDATE ACGM* (approved addition, Math example) Developmental Mathematics (BASE NCBO) Topics in mathematics such as arithmetic operations, basic algebraic concepts and notation, geometry, and real and complex number systems. This Intervention is designed specifically for students assessed at BASE levels 3-4 and must be part of a student’s co- enrollment (co-requisite) enrollment: as a mainstreamed intensifier providing contact hours for additional, just-in-time instructional support for the student’s success in the developmental math course, or as a contextualized and/or integrated basic skills instructional support for a Career/Technical Education course *Approved by ACGM Committee, March 30,

Recommendation 4: UPDATE Must be HS complete* Must be co-enrolled within same semester Should align at minimum with the same learning outcomes as DE Provides for mandatory additional, intensive support IMPORTANT: The BASE NCBO is one option for Level 3-4 students; it’s not the ONLY option Mainstream to DE w/o support Place in appropriate CTE program built on student’s strengths * see Ability to Benefit 23

Recommendation 5: Support Strengths of Multiple Skill-levels Institutions should advise students assessed at skill levels that vary across content areas (reading, writing, and/or mathematics) to consider options supporting their strengths and be placed in the higher level course(s)/ intervention(s) with appropriate, accelerated interventions and support to ensure academic progress and success in all content areas. 24

Recommendation 6: Advise and Refer Levels 1-2 all Institutions will serve students testing into Levels 1-2 in all three content areas, who may or may not be English Language Learners (ELL), by providing advisement and appropriate referrals, both internal and external, to best address students’ academic and career goals. Enroll in entry-level college credit coursework College Ready Developmental education and Levels 5-6 Enroll in accelerated developmental education options Developmental Education Enroll in BASE NCBOs or REFERRALS for Levels 1-2 in all three subject areas Adult Basic Education 25

Recommendation 6: UPDATE ON REFERRAL PROCCESS Texas State University needs analysis survey: help institutions identify services and programs for lower skilled students, both on campus and in the community, Identify gaps in services, both at institution and region, Identify regional and community resources for services and/or referrals ( see Recommendation 7) 26

Recommendation 7: Develop Statewide Referral System In collaboration with multiple state agencies, THECB will assist in the development of a cohesive statewide online resource and referral system used by institutions of higher education and adult education providers to optimize the services to students assessed at basic skill levels. 27

Recommendation 8 : Increase Funding Options Recommend that the Texas Legislature increase funding for ABE interventions. The THECB, partnering agencies and other stakeholders will recommend that the Texas Legislature increase funding options for institutions that serve ABE students. Note: BASE NCBOs aligned with DE courses are considered HS knowledge and skill levels 28

Recommendation 9: Implement Professional Development Program In preparation for full implementation of the Plan, THECB will develop and implement a comprehensive, multi- agency professional development program, beginning summer 2014, regarding 29  Curriculum  NCBOs  Assessment  Advising  Operations  Partnerships  Funding  Technology

Recommendation 9: UPDATE Texas State University 1.will conduct a survey focusing on PD needs for faculty, administration, and support staff to inform upcoming regional and statewide events 2.will maintain online resource portal of promising practices for underprepared students (w/TSC) 3.Calendar of events- statewide/national 30  Curriculum  NCBOs  Assessment  Advising  Operations  Partnerships  Funding  Technology

Recommendation 10: Review and Revise the TSI Operational Plan THECB will analyze data and institutional utilization of BASE NCBOs and other interventions serving students assessed at levels below high school. THECB will review and revise, as appropriate and with stakeholder input, the recommendations of the TSI Operational Plan. 31

Recommendation 10: Review and Revise the TSI Operational Plan Current and proposed research studies: MDRC – Modular Math and NMP MDRC – BASE Level 4 math placements/interventions RAND – Holistic Advising PPRI – IRW SAT Validity Study (with The College Board, fall 2015) TSI Assessment Validity Study (fall 2015) 32

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Current Bills Under Consideration: HB 1054 – includes BASE under TSI Statute ( ) PASSED HB 313 – Requires all 10 th graders be administered the TISA “for diagnostic purposes only” On Governor’s Desk HB removes limitations for Dual Credit (age, number of courses, location of offerings); must still be TSI Complete (can qualify via PSAT, ASPIRE) PASSED 33

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Current Bills Under Consideration: HB 1583 – Block Schedule Curriculum for FT students (adds Section ) - On Governor’s Desk each Allied Health or Nursing A/Cert. 50% of CTE A/Cert. enrollment in blocks rather than courses effective fall 2016 Other Actions of Interest: SB 149 (HS Graduation Committee) - Passed TSI Exemption for CPC increases from 1 to 2 years – Passed 34

Current Programs* Showing Promising Results Integrated Basic Skills Workforce Training Models  Accelerate TX/I-BEST models  Concurrent enrollment basic skills and certificate programs  Continuous, comprehensive wrap-around support  Case management advising and career exploration  Basic skills are contextualized to workforce certificate program learning outcomes  Programs driven by local and regional workforce needs  Transitions from federally-funded AEL programs to postsecondary Intensive College or Career Readiness (NCBO Option)  Intensive College Readiness Programs for Adult Education Students (IPAES)  Basic skills “boot camps” and intensive interventions  8 to 10 weeks, hours/week of academic skills and college readiness  Improvements to exit-level DE or entry-level college credit P-16 Partnerships  Advise TX, AVATAR, College Prep Courses, ECHS Prior Learning Assessment CAEL partnership with TACC – students create portfolios to get college credit for courses *in addition to DE reform efforts 35 TSI Operational Plan - VERSION

TSI RESOURCES TSI Updates – WEBINAR – Recording available on website THECB Website TSIA Student Informational Brochure (updated February 2015) 36

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS – What is your institution’s policy for underprepared students who do not successfully complete a course/intervention? – Is it a punitive model? – Does your institution require students to repeat the same course/intervention? – Does your institution use information from the student’s performance to inform next placement? – Does your institution have short-term NCBO options? 37

QUESTIONS AND ISSUES: 1.Reporting of TSI exemption/waiver 2.Fed. financial aid for lower-skilled students (must have HS diploma or equivalent) 3.Reporting questions for NCBOs – SPF (Dr. Julie Eklund) 4.HB 1054 – addition of BASE to Developmental Education 5.BASE must be co-enrollment with DE or CTE 6.All courses listed in the ACGM are eligible for formula funding; courses must follow course description and learning outcomes (if available) 7.Refer to NCAA rules regarding athletic eligibility 8.Use of federal financial aid eligibility* is based on the student’s placement into a course/intervention, not on student’s knowledge and skill levels 9.STAAR EOC TSI Exemptions (Rule 4.54 vs. Rule 4.85: Dual Credit Requirements) *must be at least HS complete 38

THECB CONTACTS: Suzanne Morales-Vale Director, Developmental and Adult Education (512) Terri Daniels Assistant Director, Developmental Education Alan Bugbee Sr. Project Manager, TSI Assessment Linda Munoz Director, Adult Education