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with their five components -- diagnostic testing, advisement, placement, remediation and program evaluation – are used
to identify under-prepared students and assist them in attaining the skills necessary for success in college study.
Additional Information
Lamar State College-Port Arthur will evaluate all of the developmental work completed by students transferring from
other public institutions. It is the college’s prerogative to accept or reject previous developmental work for the purpose of
remediation.
Assessment and Placement Requirements
Texas law requires that a student entering LSC-PA or any state college or university must take the THEA exam or an
approved alternative test (such as COMPASS), for assessment and placement before registering for college-level classes.
THEA, ASSET and COMPASS are given on the LSC-PA campus.
A student who does not pass one or more sections of THEA or an approved alternative is required to enroll in at least
one of the corresponding developmental courses based upon placement scores.
Exceptions to the requirement to take an approved alternative include a student who:
• has an ACT (taken within the last five years) composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on both the English and
the mathematics tests;
• has an SAT score (taken within the last five years) with a combined verbal and mathematics score of 1070 with at
least a minimum score of 500 on each test section;
• has a TAKS (exit level) score of 2200 in math and/or 2200 in English/Language Arts (ELA) with a writing subscore
of at least 3;
• achieved an exit-level score on the COMPASS or an approved alternative test;
• graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from a Texas public institution of higher education;
• transferred from an institution of higher education, from a private or independent institution of higher education or
from an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and has satisfactorily completed college-level work as
determined by the receiving institution;
• previously attended any Texas public institution and was determined to meet college-readiness standards by that
institution;
•is enrolled in a Level-One Certificate program;
•is enrolled in a dual or concurrent credit course based on 10th-grade TAKS scores;
• is on active duty in the Armed Forces or Texas National Guard;
• currently serves, and has served for at least the three-year period preceding enrollment, as a member of a reserve
component of the U.S. Armed Forces;
• on or after August 1, 1990, was honorably discharged, retired or released from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces
or the Texas National Guard;
• on or after August 1, 1990, was honorably discharged, retired, or released from service in a reserve component of the
United States Armed Forces; or
• is non-degree or non-certificate seeking.
• is not seeking a degree or a Level-Two Certificate (granted at the discretion of the institution).
NOTE: All students, even those exempt from THEA as listed above, are subject to assessment and placement
requirements before enrolling at LSC-PA.
Specific Course and Program Placement Policies
– Math and English Placement
All students intending to enroll in a college-level math and/or English composition course who are not TSI complete
OR who are TSI complete but do not meet the course prerequisites are required to take a placement test. Students who
do not achieve minimum placement scores on these exams must enroll in and pass appropriate developmental
coursework in order to progress into college-level math and/or English composition courses. This requirement is subject
to being waived [is subject to review] under special circumstances, such as the unavailability of appropriate
developmental courses.
Minimum Passing Standards and Placement Scores
ASSET TEST: WRITING
Writing Essay Writing Objectives Status Placement
6 n/a passed college level
5 or higher 40 or higher passed college level
5 35-39 not passed ENGL 0317 or
individual plan
4 or below 34 or below not passed ENGL 0310 and SSC lab