A&M-Texarkana Changes Developmental Education Options for Students Needing Support in English, Math

TEXARKANA, Texas – Beginning in the Fall 2026 semester, Texas A&M University-Texarkana is changing the way it administers developmental education programming to incoming students who need additional support in the areas of English and math.

Previously, students who did not meet the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) standards for college readiness were placed into three hour, non-credit developmental math and/or English/Language Arts classes. Under the new model, most students will not be required to take these full classes unless they choose to. Instead, students will be placed in Non-Credit Based Options (NCBO) such as tutoring or an additional lab section that will run concurrently with them taking a college-level English or math course. This will eliminate the requirement to pay for a three-hour course that doesn’t count towards a degree.

According to the 2024 Annual TSI Summary Report issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), more than 41% of the high school graduates who enrolled in a Texas public institution the following fall did not meet TSI readiness benchmarks and required supplemental academic support.

The new supplemental education methods at A&M-Texarkana will use a combination of factors, including high school GPA, ACT/SAT scores, and TSI scores to determine which kind of support best meets each student’s needs. According to Dr. Catherine Nutter, A&M-Texarkana Executive Director of Advising, NCBOs tend to be online and available in forms like tutoring or short lessons in specific topics, which are more convenient delivery methods for today’s students.

“For those who may need a little more support with English and math, new instructional and placement methods will be personalized so that they more effectively align with the student’s level of preparedness and degree path,” said Randall Brumfield, A&M-Texarkana Executive Director of Student Success. “Like many institutions, there has traditionally been a uniform approach to these items, but A&M-Texarkana faculty have developed a model beginning this fall that not only strives to meet the individual learning needs of students but also helps reduce their cost and time-to-degree.”       

“I am proud of the work that our faculty, advising, and student success staff have put into our developmental education plan,” said A&M-Texarkana President Dr. Ross Alexander. “Not all students need the same level of support in the same areas. Our new approach is tailored to each students’ needs and will no longer require paying for courses that do not generate credit towards a degree.”

For additional information about TSI standards and exemptions and exceptions to the TSI developmental education requirements visit the TAMUT academic catalog.