TSI/Standardized Testing Accommodations
*A request for additional testing time is not needed because the TSI is an untimed assessment. Please note that the TSI is a placement assessment that is designed to assess a test taker’s current level of skills in math, reading, and writing. Per this, some requested testing accommodations cannot be approved for the TSI.
Per the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, students with documented disabilities who would like to request reasonable accommodations for TSI testing must contact the disability services office and identify themselves as a student with a disability. Some common TSI testing accommodations are as follows: a test reader for certain documented disabilities (i.e. visual impairments and/or severe reading disability), test version in braille or large print for visually impaired test takers, and/or a test scribe for test takers who have a documented disability that prevents them from scribing their own test answers (i.e. cerebral palsy, motor related disabilities, and/or visual impairment). Please note that the TSI is a state assessment; therefore, the DSS office does not have the authority to modify any test sections of the TSI assessment or modify any grading aspects of the TSI. The student is responsible for providing necessary documentation as requested by the college. Submitted documentation will be reviewed to determine the appropriate accommodation(s), according to college’s policies and federal/state disability laws.
All TSI testing accommodation requests and required documentation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis upon receipt at the Disability Support Services (DSS) office. In some cases, the submitted documentation may not be sufficient to make a determination regarding the requested accommodation(s) or may not support the requested accommodation(s). Additional information or test results may be needed. All TSI testing accommodation requests must be made at least 4 weeks prior to anticipated TSI test date to allow DSS adequate time to review the request and arrange appropriate accommodations if approved. A new request form must be submitted every time an accommodation is being requested for the TSI. If the accommodation being requested is different from previous accommodation requests, additional documentation to substantiate the need for this different accommodation will be required.
To request TSI testing accommodations, the student must complete and submit this REQUEST FOR TSI TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS to the DSS office either in person, via fax at 254-526-1700, or emailed to the Director of Disability Support Services, christy.shank@ctcd.edu. Students are also responsible for submitting required documentation to the DSS office. Required documentation must contain all of the following information or it will NOT be accepted by DSS:
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A signed statement on an official letterhead by a qualified professional whose license/credentials are appropriate to diagnose the disability.
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A diagnosis of the disability or disabilities for which testing accommodations are being requested and summary of tests (and test results) that were used to determine the diagnosis.
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Recommended test accommodations determined by the evaluating professional that are specifically related to the disability and are reasonable within the context of the TSI and rationale for the test accommodation.
Documentation that is missing any of the information listed above will be not be accepted and the student will be notified that additional documentation/information will be needed before the student’s request will be processed. If you have a state certificate of blindness and/or deafness, this is the only medical documentation that you will need to submit and will not be required to submit any further medical documentation. If the student already has medical documentation on file with the DSS office, please note this on your Request for TSI Accommodations Form (medical documentation on file with DSS will be reviewed for appropriateness for TSI accommodations - if medical documentation on file is insufficient, student will be required to submit additional documentation as stated above).
Once the student has submitted the request form and required medical documentation, the student will receive information regarding the approval and/or denial of testing accommodations prior to the anticipated TSI test date in writing to the email address the student provides on the request form. Please note that submitting a request for testing accommodations and providing documentation of a disability does not guarantee that the request/accommodation(s) will be approved as some accommodations cannot be provided based on the purpose of the TSI assessment.
For other standardized tests offered by CTC, students are still required to submit required documentation of a disability as noted above and required to complete this Request For Standardized Testing Accommodation Form. This form is required to be submitted at least 4 weeks in advanced to test date.