A comprehensive program to advance student success in college studies

TCB Test Prep is for students in grades 8-11 and focuses on preparing them to perform well on the TSIA2. TCB College Prep is for seniors who have not demonstrated college readiness through standardized assessment and provides them with an alternative, accessible path to college through an exemption from TSI testing at TCB partner colleges. Both programs offer online English and math courses that are personalized, self-paced and teacher-facilitated, and help strengthen the specific skills that students need to succeed in college-level studies.

TCB has a tiered pricing structure which offers districts a single cost for unlimited course access. We use total high school enrollment as a basis for tiered pricing only to determine districts of similar size. The cost of the program reflects a balance of ensuring that the program can remain operational - and can improve based on user feedback and outcomes - while also keeping the price low enough so that every district in the state has the option to participate.

No, the single cost provides unlimited licenses and access to both programs, as well as access to TCB College & Career support modules.

Yes, both programs begin with students taking a diagnostic self-assessment to determine their level of entry into each course and provide a personalized study path, allowing students to skip content they already know and focus on the skills they still need to master.

Yes, EdReady® includes a variety of accessibility features and settings (screen readers, adjustable pacing, etc.). Districts should continue to provide testing accommodations based on individual student plans.

Yes. If a student has met college readiness, had a schedule change, etc., you can add an inactivity reason to the student account to identify the reason they are no longer progressing in the course. You can also archive a student account if they register but do not need to take the course. Information on removing/archiving a student can be found in the help center and on the resource tab. This removes the student from your dashboard but does not delete their data from the EdReady system. If you want a student to be completely removed, you will need to submit a support ticket with the student's details and request complete removal.

TCB uses a personalized learning system, so cheating can be detected in the system-use pattern of the student. How? We record all student interactions within the system, including what topic material is studied and for how long, progress though frequent quizzing, and more. Basically, when a student uses the system, they create a characteristic pattern of use, like a fingerprint. If a student cheats by using test answers supplied by another person, there is a divergence from the normal use pattern that is visible to an instructor, allowing the instructor to intervene and take appropriate action.

We are taking a multi-layered approach to safeguard the integrity of our courses and reduce risks associated with AI-assisted cheating:

• Collaborative Development: We are actively working with our platform developers to implement security enhancements and AI-mitigation strategies.
• Curriculum Oversight: Our curriculum is reviewed by a joint committee of Texas higher education and K-12 experts to ensure alignment with TSIA2 standards.
• Annual Audits: We conduct yearly audits in math to flag unusually high completion rates, and our essay assignment is reviewed annually by a dedicated committee.
• Platform Controls: Instructors and district administrators now have the ability to lock EdReady usage as needed.
• AI Detection & Prevention: We use reCAPTCHA to block accounts that show signs of automated or AI-assisted cheating.
• Independent Evaluation: Student success and persistence in college are evaluated independently to validate program effectiveness.

TCB TSIA2 Test Prep is available for 8th -11th grade students with best practices recommended by TCB:

• 8th grade students who have been accepted into an Early College or PTECH program and need preparation for the TSIA2.
• 9th grade students who are in or applying to an Early College or PTECH program. AVID students who are academically motivated. Students on an advanced academic track.
• 10th grade students who are in an Early College or PTECH program but have not yet passed the TSIA2. AVID students who are academically motivated. Students on an advanced academic track. Students who scored high on the PSAT and want to take dual credit courses.
• 11th grade students - all - to prepare for dual credit, postsecondary goals, and/or to help become college ready prior to senior year.

Districts may choose to offer Test Prep broadly as a support for any student who wants to improve their readiness for TSIA2 placement.

Either approach works. Districts may implement:

• In-class use during English and/or math classes, intervention, advisory, summer bridge, etc.
• Out-of-class use as supplemental support for students preparing to retest.

Because the modules are self-paced, students can complete Test Prep in flexible formats based on district needs.

Completion time depends on:

• The student’s diagnostic starting point.
• The number of skills the student needs to review and master.
• Their pace of learning and allotted time during the school day.

Yes. Students may return to Test Prep modules multiple times - especially helpful when preparing for a retest.

Yes. Test Prep content is built around the competencies assessed in TSIA2 Mathematics and ELAR, including Reading, Writing, and Revision & Editing.

TCB offers a rolling start date, allowing districts to add student users and sections at any time. Course completion must post to the student’s transcript prior to high school graduation. If a senior continues working in the courses in the summer, they will need to be a summer grad in order to get credit for the course on their transcript. Seniors will lose access to the program at the end of the summer.

The time it takes to complete the courses depends on each student’s level of entry, the number of concepts and skills they need to master, and their pace of learning. While this varies, based on data from last year, the majority of students took an average of 4-5 months to work through both stages of each course, with math taking more time on average than English.

Students who complete the course(s) with Stage 1 and Stage 2 at 90% mastery (and a passing essay score for the English course) will earn a Certificate of Completion. Students who do not successfully complete will not earn the certificate, developmental education exemption (TSI exemption), or high school credit. There is no partial credit for TCB if the student doesn’t complete the course. Students are not required to take a final assessment at the end of the College Prep courses to earn a Certificate of Completion or qualify for the TSI exemption at partner colleges.

Yes, students are encouraged to revise and re-submit essays until they pass. Students must have a passing score on the essay to complete the English course.

TCB has an ongoing state-wide evaluation program which is conducted each summer by the independent research organization Cicero Group. Analyzing data provided by higher ed partners, the evaluation compares outcomes for students who completed TCB courses with those who demonstrated college readiness through standardized testing or other measures.

Results have consistently shown that, overall, TCB is having a positive, statistically significant impact on measured student success outcomes:

• TCB students were overall more likely to persist into their second year of higher education than non-TCB peers.
• TCB students were overall more likely to persist into their second semester of higher education than non-TCB peers.
• TCB students passed their first semester, entry-level college liberal arts and math courses at rates equivalent to their non-TCB peers, adjusting for demographic and other differences in the two groups of students.
• Additional analysis shows that TCB students outperformed students of other college prep programs authorized by Texas House Bill 5 (83R) by a considerable margin in first-semester math and liberal arts passing rates and their second-semester persistence and enrollment rates.

Resources are available on our website and in our online help center. In addition, TCB provides office hours for district staff and admins on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with extended office hours available in the fall and spring.

Teachers would need to be certified (in any subject) unless a district is a District of Innovation and has exempted themselves from the certification requirement. A qualified, certified English teacher must grade the essay assignment.

Training for teacher facilitators includes virtual sessions, recorded modules, and support documentation. Teachers as well as district administrators must complete training each year to be able to use the EdReady platform.

TEC §28.014 requires districts to partner with an institution of higher education to provide college preparatory courses in English and math to seniors. These courses should be designed for 12th grade students who have not yet met college readiness standards on TSIA2, ACT, or SAT. Students who successfully complete the course(s) as outlined in the MOU are exempt from developmental education at the partnering institution.

Yes. In this case, the district may have two college prep courses: one provided by the local IHE partner, and one provided by Texas College Bridge. Districts need to be aware at which institutions the exemption applies depending on which course the student takes. Districts considering this option also need to ensure that offering TCB college prep courses does not conflict with their local MOU, and that the proper PEIMS codes are used for each college prep program.

Starting with 2026 graduates, only seniors completing college preparatory courses will count for district CCMR credit. Both juniors and seniors, however, still receive their TSI exemption. Starting with 2027 graduates, seniors must take a college preparatory course from a provider on the TEA approved list to count for district CCMR credit. All college preparatory course providers, including TCB, count for district CCMR credit in the 2025-2026 school year. TCB will continue to share updates when received from TEA. (to be updated)

Yes, districts can offer course credit for HB 5 college prep courses. Please refer to the credit guidelines for accurate options. Also, please refer to the PEIMS Guidance Document to ensure accurate coding of Texas College Bridge courses for credit.

The English college preparatory course may satisfy a fourth English credit required for graduation. However, the English college preparatory course may not count as one of the English courses that contribute to a four-course sequence to earn certain endorsements. The mathematics college preparation course may satisfy the fourth mathematics credit that is required to earn an endorsement. However, this course may not count as one of the mathematics courses that contribute to a four-course sequence to earn certain endorsements. Refer to the graduation requirements in 19 TAC §74.13 for additional details regarding endorsements. The course delivery format document also provides guidance.

Yes, TCB courses have specific PEIMS codes, listed below. Follow the PEIMS Guidance document for help. Make sure all fields are complete when submitting PEIMS. Contact performance.reporting@tea.texas.gov with questions.

Texas College Bridge courses are not dual credit courses. Although completion of a college prep course gives the student a TSI exemption, that exemption does not go into effect until the student graduates.