You are here:  UHD 1999/2000 Catalog / University of Houston–Downtown / Required Testing

• Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP)
• Placement Testing
• Developmental Education

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Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP)

TASP is a statewide testing and instructional program mandated by Texas law to ensure that students enrolled in Texas public colleges and universities have the basic academic skills needed to be successful in college-level work.

Who must take the TASP test?

All new and transfer students who do not qualify for an exemption must take the TASP test. Any student enrolling in the teacher certification program is required to take and pass the TASP test as a condition of certification, regardless of any other exemption.

Who is exempt from TASP?

The following students do not have to take the TASP test:

• Students with at least three hours of college-level credit earned prior to the fall of 1989
• Blind and/or deaf students who received at least three hours of college-level credit prior to the fall of 1995
• Summer transient students enrolled at an out-of-state or private institution during the previous spring semester (must provide appropriate documentation and sign a request for exemption form)
• Students who meet qualifying standards on the ACT, SAT, or TAAS tests:

  ACT composite score of 23 or higher with English and math part scores equal to or greater than 19

  SAT (taken April 1995 or later) combined scores of 1070 or higher with verbal and math part scores equal to or greater than 500

  SAT (taken prior to April 1995) combined scores of 970 or higher with verbal part scores of at least 420 and math part scores of at least 470

  TAAS scale scores of TLI X-86 or higher in math, TLI X-89 or higher in reading, and 1770 or higher in writing.

Notes:

ACT and SAT scores may be no more than five years old, and exit-level TAAS scores may be no more than three years old.

Qualifying scores must be achieved at a single administration of the ACT or SAT, or the first attempt of the TAAS. Scores from separate test attempts cannot be combined to qualify for an exemption.

When must students take the TASP test?

All students entering a Texas public college or university must take the TASP test before they will be allowed to register for college-level courses.

I’ve never taken TASP. What should I do?

Entering students to UH-Downtown who have never taken the TASP test are encouraged to take the WritePlacer/AccuPlacer instead of TASP. These tests, which are given at UH-Downtown, count as the first TASP attempt and are also used as placement tests for math and English. They are given on a regular basis. Students who do not pass WritePlacer/AccuPlacer must take the TASP on second and subsequent attempts.

The Testing Center administers WritePlacer/AccuPlacer, TASP and Quick TASP. Contact Testing Center, Room 417 South, (713) 221-8027, for information about times, places, and cost.

May students enroll if they have not taken the TASP test?

Students who do not take the TASP test or an approved alternative test are not eligible to enroll in any courses other than developmental or other precollegiate courses until the tests have been taken and official score reports have been received. Students enrolling in violation of this regulation will be administratively withdrawn from all college-level courses.

What happens if a student does not pass the TASP test?

Students who do not pass all three sections (reading, mathematics and writing) of the TASP test must participate continuously in a program of developmental education in the subject area(s) not passed. TASP-obligated students must enroll in these classes every semester until they pass the TASP, and they must retake the TASP test every semester after completing the required developmental courses. Students may be allowed to take other courses while participating in developmental education with the approval of an academic advisor.

Students not passing all sections of the TASP test by the completion of 60 credit hours may not enroll in any junior or senior-level course until all sections of the TASP test have been passed. Students enrolling in violation of this regulation will be administratively withdrawn from all upper-level courses.

Are there other ways to satisfy the TASP obligation?

Students who pass required developmental course(s) but who fail the TASP test on a second attempt may proceed into college-level courses. They may satisfy their TASP obligation by making a B or better in approved courses. See an advisor for more information.

Where can students get additional information?

Additional information concerning TASP may be obtained from the TASP Test Registration Bulletin available in the C.A.S.A. Center, Room 445-South, and in Testing Services, Room 417-South.

Placement Testing

All students must comply with the university’s placement and course sequencing policy. Students admitted to the university, whether first time in college or transfer, will be formally assessed in basic writing, reading, and mathematical competence, either through testing or evaluation of transfer credit, prior to enrollment in their first semester. All students must remain enrolled in English, reading, and mathematics courses until they have satisfied developmental and core curriculum freshman-level requirements in those areas.

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Credit earned by a student prior to enrollment at the university is evaluated in accordance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board policies and procedures.

Developmental Education

As a result of placement testing, students may be required to enroll in developmental courses in reading, English, and/or mathematics. Upon successful completion of any required foundation courses, students are required to enroll, and to continue to enroll, for their core curriculum course sequences in English composition and mathematics until these requirements have been satisfied.

Students who do not make satisfactory progress toward completing required developmental courses may be placed on probation or suspension, or may be subject to other academic sanctions.