Earlier this week, we hosted a webinar in partnership with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the TSIA2. We know this is a topic that y’all have a lot of questions about. Nearly 1,000 people registered for the webinar and 500 joined live! We’ll quickly summarize some key differences with the new assessment here.
Before we jump in, if you’re looking for additional resources on the TSIA, be sure to not miss our TSIA module in the Texas OnCourse Academy. This module is found under Postsecondary Pathways > Entrance and Placement Exams. In the module, you can refresh yourself on:
A quick disclaimer from the Coordinating Board: Test development is in its final stage, so while major changes are not anticipated, details may differ slightly from those presented here. In particular, college readiness benchmarks are subject to board approval soon and have not been finalized.
The launch date for the TSIA2 is january 11, 2021. Scores from BOTH the TSIA and TSIA2 are valid for five years from the date of testing. The testing experience will closely mirror the TSIA for your students.
Just like the TSIA, each subject area of the TSIA2 will include a college readiness classification test, or CRC. If your student does not demonstrate college readiness via the CRC, they will proceed to a diagnostic test.
Scores will operate a lot like the current assessment, though the CRC scores will likely start with a nine rather than a three to prevent confusion regarding which version of the test your student took. The diagnostic test range will remain one through six, and the essay will still be graded one through eight.
Here are a few proposed changes to expect with the TSIA2:
Institutional administrators will need to participate in four required trainings for the TSIA2. These training sessions are now virtual. If this applies to you, you need to complete all four to receive certification, and you’ll need to recertify each year. This is required for compliance if you’re an institutional administrator!
Finally, the Coordinating Board is planning to provide additional documentation to the field soon. As a reminder, college readiness benchmarks are subject to board approval soon and have not been finalized. In November, you can expect the test specifications. A student brochure, score interpretation document, and technical manual will be available in January 2021. The Coordinating Board is hoping to get that documentation out prior to the release of the assessment. As always, we will keep you informed as these documents come out. Be sure you’re subscribed to our emails for any updates.
Please note: there has been an update to the information provided during the recording of this email. The TSIA2 blueprint document will not be available until April 2021.
NOTE: This is a transcript of a Facebook Live video that aired on 10/15/20.