Early Intervention, Big Results: DeSoto ISD’s Path to Postsecondary Readiness

DeSoto ISD is being highlighted for increasing the number of students meeting benchmarks in reading and math on the Texas Success Initiative met-by-assessment criteria at a rate significantly higher than the county or state average.

All Texas public higher education institutions use the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) to determine whether students are ready for college-level courses in English language arts and reading (ELAR) and mathematics.  

High schools across the state administer the TSI Assessment (or TSIA) to help students avoid remedial coursework in college. Students may also qualify as “college ready” by meeting benchmarks on the SAT, ACT, or certain end-of-course (EOC) exams like STAAR English III or Algebra II. They also have the option of taking college preparatory coursework offered by their school district, but credit for the course must be accepted by the higher education institution of their choice.

Ultimately, the objective of the TSI program is to ensure that students can successfully transition to college without remediation. Research shows that students who enter higher education ready to immediately take credit-bearing courses are far more likely to persist and complete a degree than those who require remedial courses that do not count toward a degree. That reality underscores why districts like DeSoto ISD have made postsecondary readiness a priority through proactive planning, strong data systems, intentional staffing, and committed campus leadership.

DeSoto ISD has significantly strengthened college-readiness outcomes, raising the percentage of students meeting TSI benchmarks by assessment in both reading and math from 11% for the Class of 2022 to 18% for the Class of 2023, and then to 28% for the Class of 2024, an improvement of 16 percentage points in just two years. This progress reflects a districtwide commitment that begins as early as middle school, with initiatives like Gear Up, summer bridge programs, and early TSI testing for eighth graders. Through bootcamps, targeted instructional coaching, and teacher training aligned to core coursework, educators are better equipped to embed readiness into daily instruction and to expose students to opportunity early on.

“One of the key things I’ve asked our counselors to do over the past couple of years, is to begin these efforts in elementary school, not just high school. Starting in elementary, I ask that they hold at least two to three parent sessions focused on understanding how all those pieces work together,” said Dr. Anita Perry, Deputy Chief of College Career & Military Readiness at DeSoto ISD. She further explained, “Because if you wait until senior year, or even until ninth grade to decide, it’s already too late.”

In DeSoto, parent workshops now start in elementary school to build awareness of graduation pathways and postsecondary readiness. DeSoto’s collaborative approach also brings together principals, counselors, teachers, and district leaders in monthly data reviews enabled by data systems provided through Economic Mobility Systems. This helps ensure that supports are responsive to student needs, including special populations. With this holistic and intentional approach, supported by Commit Partnership’s TSIA2 Math Toolkit, DeSoto ISD has cultivated a culture of readiness that positions students for long-term success across CCMR pathways.

That’s why DeSoto ISD’s focus on early intervention, parent engagement, and aligned instruction has been so critical. By embedding college readiness into every level of schooling, from elementary workshops to eighth-grade TSIA testing, the district has significantly increased the number of students meeting TSI benchmarks in both math and reading.

To learn more about how Commit is working with school systems in Dallas County to increase the number of students meeting TSI by assessment, see our TSI strategy here.

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