Welcome to the Assessment Center!

The Assessment Center is a closed center. We only test those people who are enrolled or are about to enroll in El Centro College, Downtown or West.

We operate in a quiet, clean, user-friendly environment. All staff members are well-trained, friendly and eager to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions.


Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday, 8:30am - 7:00pm

Students taking all parts of the Accuplacer, please begin before 2:30pm

Friday, 8:30am - 3:00pm

Students taking all parts of the Accuplacer, please begin before 12:30pm

Saturday, 8:30 - 3:00pm

Students taking all parts of the Accuplacer
please begin before 10:30pm

Contact Us
West Campus, W130 (first floor)
972-391-1424

Types of Assessments Offered at West Campus
Accuplacer (reading, writing, math, and computer)
Compass
ESL

Special Needs Guidelines

The Assessment Center operates in compliance with the American Disabilities Act. All testing for special needs students will be done only after they have gone through the Disability Services Office. If student are requiring special needs examination to meet TSI requirements, student will be administered the Asset Exam instead of the Accuplacer.

• This is a paper and pencil exam
• A referral from the Disabilities Services Office is required (Must provide proof of disability)
• Plan at least two (2) weeks for the return of your scores. (Exam is mailed off to the publisher for scoring.)
• Accommodations: reader, scribe and/or single-testing room
• There is no charge for this examination

Testing Policies for Students

• Student must provide a photo ID
• Children are not allowed in the Assessment Center. Children cannot be left unattended in the lobby area. (West Campus staff members are required to call campus police if children are left unattended.)
• Student must know the instructor’s name, course number, section number and test/quiz number if not taking a college entrance exam
• Bring appropriate items for testing as designated by the instructor (scratch paper, scantron, answer sheet, calculator, pencil, pen, etc.)
• Food and drink are not allowed in the testing room
• All personal materials must be placed in assigned lockers (located across the hall) before you can test

TSI Guidelines

In September 2003, a new set of requirements for enrollment into public colleges in Texas became law. The program, called Texas Success Initiative, TSI, replaced all THEA requirements. It is important that you understand what these changes mean to you, both for your potential course requirements and your testing mandates. A brief description of the testing changes is presented below.

Nearly all students are required to take exams before they are allowed to enroll in college courses. The DCCCD, and therefore El Centro, has selected the Accuplacer as the primary assessment for enrollment. All the DCCCD colleges use the same exams, standards, and requirements for enrollment and placement. All colleges also allow one attempt and one retest on the Accuplacer each semester. To take the retest, you must provide the Director of Counseling a valid reason for retesting; not doing as well as you wanted does not necessarily meet the mandates for retesting. A special referral form is available to request retesting. You must wait at least 48 hours after your original test before you can retest; however, you must retest within 14 days after your initial exam.

WHO MUST ASSESS

All students prior to enrolling in college-level course work must assess with a state-approved assessment. El Centro College Downtown and West, offers the Accuplacer (a computerized version of a state approved assessment).

EXEMPTIONS FOR WHICH ASSESSMENT IS NOT REQUIRED

A student will not need to assess for TSI if at least one of the following conditions is true. Proof of these scores must be provided on an official document such as high school transcript or official score sheet from the testing organization when making application.

SAT: A student has an SAT composite score of 1070, with a minimum of 500 on the math and verbal portions of the test. Test score must be less than 5 years old and achieved in one sitting. Partial exemption is allowed if the Composite score is 1070 and the minimum is met in one of the individual areas; student would need to test in the area not exempt.

ACT: A student has an ACT composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 in both the math and English portions of the test. Scores must be less than 5 years old and achieved in one sitting. Partial exemption is allowed if the Composite score is 23 and the minimum is met in one of the individual areas; student would need to test in the area not exempt.

TAKS: A student has an 11th grade TAKS score with a minimum of English Language Arts 2200 and a writing sample of a 3. Both minimum scores are required to meet placement for reading and writing. TAKS math score of 2200 will exempt student from TSI requirements in math. However, student will need to test for placement in math regardless of TAKS scores. Scores must be less than 3 years old.

TSI EXEMPTIONS FOR WHICH PLACEMENT TESTING MAY BE REQUIRED

• Proof of these exemptions must be provided on an official document or transcript.
• Associate or Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university or college.
• Military exemption (Certain restrictions apply).
• Students transferring from out of state or private institutions with transferable core courses. (Transcript must be brought to the TSI Office to determine if placement testing is required.)

TSI TEMPORARY WAIVERS

Students enrolling in courses requiring prerequisites must test or show proof of prerequisites in order to enroll. The waiver status must be declared at the beginning of the semester.
• A student is enrolled in and following course work for a certificate program with fewer than 42 semester credit hours
• A student is enrolled only in job related courses
• A student is declared as non-degree seeking.

PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY ALL STUDENTS

The following courses require that both reading and writing be met by assessment or by previous completion of related course work passed with a grade of 'C' or higher:

• English 1301, 1302;
• Speech 1311, 1315;
• Sociology 1301;
• Biology 1406, 1407

The DCCCD Core Curriculum courses, except for math courses, require reading be met by assessment or by previous completion of related course work passed with a grade of "C" or higher.

All college level math classes have prerequisite requirements either by assessment or by showing previous mathematics course work.

There are other college credit classes that have testing placement and/or prerequisite requirements. (See DCCCD catalog for list of course description and prerequisites.)

In order to determine if prerequisite requirements have been met, it is important to speak with an academic advisor.

West Campus administers the Accuplacer Test at the Testing Center. Referral forms are required for testing and can be obtained from the Advising Office.

Practice Tests

Contact Us @ West Campus
Room: W130
Phone: 972-391-1424


Contact Us @ Downtown
Room: A067 (located in the basement of A-Building)
Phone: 214-860-2178