Texas Register

TITLE 19 EDUCATION
PART 1TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD
CHAPTER 4RULES APPLYING TO ALL PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN TEXAS
SUBCHAPTER CTEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE
RULE §4.53Definitions
ISSUE 08/09/2013
ACTION Final/Adopted
Preamble Texas Admin Code Rule

The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

  (1)Acceleration--The reorganization of instruction and curricula in ways that expedite the completion of coursework or credentials based on an assessment of students' strengths and needs. It involves a departure from the traditional multi-course sequence in favor of a more streamlined structure. Some examples include, but are not limited to emporium models and modular models, co-requisites, course-pairing, and computer-assisted instruction.

  (2)Advising--The ongoing and intentional process by which faculty and/or staff members assist students to navigate their choice of courses or majors, access campus and community services, develop career goals and short/long-term plans.

  (3)Assessment--The use of a Board-approved instrument to determine the academic skills of each entering undergraduate student and the student's readiness to enroll in freshman-level academic coursework.

  (4)Board--The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

  (5)Compressed Course--A developmental course that has the same number of contact hours and addresses the same learning outcomes as a traditional course but meets in a shortened overall time period (e.g., four weeks at twelve contact hours per week or eight weeks at six contact hours per week instead of sixteen weeks at three contact hours per week), thus allowing for multiple developmental courses to be completed in the same time period as one traditional course.

  (6)Contextualized/Intensive Coursework--Strategies that accelerate learning for lower skilled learners whereby contextualized coursework integrates career subject matter with pre-college skills development in reading, writing, and mathematics; and intensive coursework shortens the overall delivery of a course through lengthened class meeting times (e.g., four hours per class meeting instead of two hours).

  (7)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.

  (8)Developmental Coursework and/or Intervention--Non-degree-credit coursework and/or activity designed to address a student's strengths and needs in the areas of reading, writing, integrated reading and writing (IRW), mathematics, and student success.

  (9)Developmental Education--Pre-college, non-degree credit courses, interventions, tutorials, laboratories, and other means of assistance that are included in a plan to ensure the success of a student in performing entry-level academic coursework.

  (10)Differentiated Instruction--The different instructional processes used to work within a student's varied skill levels, motivational attitudes, and learning preferences.

  (11)Differentiated Placement--Advising and placement of students based on individual strengths and needs.

  (12)Entry-level course (sometimes referred to as entry-level freshman coursework)--Any course for academic credit in which a freshman student typically enrolls: the course shall not have prerequisites and is open to any student meeting TSI standards as defined in §4.57 of this title (relating to College Ready and Adult Basic Education (ABE) Standards) and/or meeting at least one of the exemptions or waivers as defined in §4.54 of this title (relating to Exemptions, Exceptions, and Waivers). These courses (or their local equivalent in Texas Common Core Numbering System) include, but are not limited to, ENGL 1301, HIST 1301, PSYC 2301, GOVT 1301, MATH 1314/1414/1324/1332/1342, SOCI 1301, PHIL 1301, SPCH 1311/1315, COSC 1401, HUMA 1301, ARTS 1301, and BIOL 1306/1406.

  (13)Institution of higher education or institution--Any public technical institute, public junior college, public senior college or university, medical or dental unit, or other agency of higher education as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003(8).

  (14)Measureable Learning Outcomes--Knowledge, skills, and abilities, and/or attitudes that students should be able to demonstrate upon completion of a course and/or intervention.

  (15)Minimum Passing Standards--The minimum scores which must be attained by a student in reading, writing, and mathematics in the TSI Assessment Instrument that indicates the student's readiness to enroll in entry-level freshman courses as defined in paragraph (12) of this section. These scores are set forth in §4.57 of this title.

  (16)Non-Course Competency-Based Developmental Education Interventions (also known as Non-Semester-Length Interventions or NCBO)--Interventions that use learning approaches designed to address a student's identified weaknesses and effectively and efficiently prepare the student for college-level work. These interventions must be overseen by an instructor of record, must not fit traditional course frameworks, and cannot include advising or learning support activities already connected to a traditional course; interventions may include, but are not limited to, tutoring, supplemental instruction, or labs.

  (17)Non-Degree Credit Course--A course which may not be counted toward a degree or certificate. The term includes developmental education, pre-collegiate, and general continuing education courses.

  (18)Professional Development--The provision of ongoing and systematic learning opportunities for developmental educators and support staff that focus on research-based strategies, methodologies, and best practices resulting in effective and efficient coursework and/or interventions advancing the cognitive and non-cognitive skills of underprepared students seeking post-secondary enrichment, certificates, and degrees.

  (19)Program Evaluation--A systematic method of collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about developmental education courses, interventions, and policies, particularly about their effectiveness and cost-efficiency.

  (20)Technology--The use of instructional aids, methods and/or other computer-based tools that enhance student learning.

  (21)TSI Assessment Time Periods--For phase-in of TSI Assessment college-ready standards, the following time periods shall be applicable:

    (A)Phase I--Start date: institution's first class day of fall 2013; expiration: the day immediately before the first class day of fall 2017;

    (B)Phase II--Start date: institution's first class day of fall 2017; expiration: the day immediately before the first class day of fall 2019; and

    (C)Final Phase--Start date: institution's first class day of fall 2019; no expiration.

  (22)TSI Assessment--The Board-approved assessment instrument designated in §4.56 of this title (relating to Assessment Instrument) for use by institutions of higher education for assessing a student's readiness to enroll in an entry-level freshman course.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on July 26, 2013

TRD-201303060

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: August 15, 2013

Proposal publication date: May 17, 2013

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114



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