The Board of Governors Motion on Assessment: An Update Mark Wade Lieu Academic Senate for California Community Colleges

Board Motion The Chancellor is directed to begin the process of evaluating the implementation of a system-wide uniform, common assessment with multiple measures of all community college students in consultation with the Community College League of California, Academic Senate and other community college partners for consideration and adoption by the Board of Governors by not later than November This evaluation shall be in concert with the System Strategic Plan and implementation process. In addition, and integral to the above, the Chancellor shall study policy strategies for consideration by the Board of Governors in the following areas: non-barrier access, student success, early assessment, orientation, prerequisites, failure to participate, funding, exemptions.

Consultation Council  Convened task force with wide representation  Chaired by the Academic Senate  Reviewed recent literature  Used available systemwide data  Conducted survey to obtain additional data

Board of Governors  Approved the recommendations of the Task Force at its January 2008 meeting  Asked for an update on progress at its July 2008 meeting  Provided no financial support to carry out the recommendations

Mandatory Assessment Credit Only N=1,415,269DirectedExempted Not Received Placement Assessment 983,838431,431(30.5%) 92,729 (9.4%) Orientation950,791464,478(32.8%) 239,437 (25.1%) Counseling977,895437,374(30.9%)560,075(57.3%) Credit Only N=1,415,269Directed Exempted (not including AA+) Not Received Placement Assessment 983,838216,248(15.3%) 92,729 (9.4%) Orientation950,791249,295(17.6%) 239,437 (25.1%) Counseling977,895222,191(15.7%)560,075(57.3%)

Cost  Placement for Assessment: $452,598  Counseling: between $1.6 million and $112 million

Recommendation The State should fully fund mandatory matriculation services in order to allow colleges to implement exemption policies based on maximizing student success rather than on financial limitations. Matriculation funding should receive annual COLA and growth funding.

Status Unlikely that anything will happen with this in the near future due to the dismal budget forecast for the coming years

Messaging to HS  Previous Matriculation Assessment/Placement Task Force supported use of the EAP  Literature cites as an important strategy

Assessment in HS Math English Writing English Reading ESL % testing in HS % testing at college

Recommendation The system should provide the resources to provide increased opportunities for assessment testing in high schools along with information to increase awareness of college expectations.

Status Messaging efforts to high school students are being conducted by the System, through the Statewide Career Pathways project, through the Basic Skills Initiative, and through other state efforts. Foundations may be interested in helping with this effort. Legislation being considered re: EAP

Assessment Tests  Mathematics  42: MDTP  41: Accuplacer  19: COMPASS

Assessment Tests  English Writing  37: Accuplacer  26: Writing Sample  22: COMPASS  15: CTEP

Assessment Tests  English Reading  46: Accuplacer  23: COMPASS  16: CTEP

Assessment Tests  ESL  47: CELSA  31: Writing Sample  22: COMPASS  17: Accuplacer  14: Other homegrown test

Recommendation Given the limited number of commercial tests used in the system, a comparability table should be developed for the test results from these tests. This effort would facilitate the intra- institutional use of student assessment testing data.

Status Although appealing on a superficial level, actually quite complicated to achieve, especially without any resources.

Recommendation The system should support the efforts of the California Community College Assessment Association to develop an ESL assessment test available for statewide use.

Status The CCCAA has received funding from the System Office to examine the feasibility of the project, and CCCAA is interested in expanding the scope to include English and mathematics as well. The CCCAA is also exploring funding for the project with foundations.

Accepting Results  Mathematics  Always: 24%  Under certain conditions: 63.9%  Never: 12%

Accepting Results  English Writing  Always: 10.1%  Under certain conditions: 75.3%  Never: 14.6%

Accepting Results  English Reading  Always: 13.5%  Under certain conditions: 72.9%  Never: 13.5%

Accepting Results  ESL  Always: 8.9%  Under certain conditions: 50.5%  Never: 40.6%

Recommendation A statewide system for the sharing of assessment testing data should be established. This system would facilitate the portability of assessment testing data and the intra-institutional use of student assessment testing data.

Status There is nothing in place on which such an effort can piggyback at this time.

Common Assessment  Common Assessment Instrument(s)  Common Cut Scores  Common Curriculum

Recommendation The system should support a pilot project which explores how the course outcomes of Freshman Composition, the course one level below Freshman Composition, and the course one level above Freshman Composition, align across community colleges.

Status In the process of contacting English department faculty concerning established SLOs. 40+ colleges have responded to an inquiry, and almost 20 colleges have already submitted SLOs. Have submitted proposal to WestEd for content analysis.

Recommendation The Task Force should be continued, with support from the System Office and the Board of Governors, in order to address further assessment issues such as noncredit assessment and placement, validation of prerequisites, multiple measures. The Task Force should identify and prioritize further research to support future recommendations.

Next Steps  Pre-requisites is a related issue in that it imposes requirements for addressing preparation. Given the complexity of establishing pre- requisites, we would like to know the impact of advisories on student enrollment behavior.

Next Steps  Research on student assessment and consequent enrollment behavior – perhaps can be funded through outside foundation  Investigate research that may already be completed through the ARCC or the Basic Skills Initiative

Conclusion  While assessment for placement is an important part of guiding students into appropriate course work, it is not the most important element to examine when we consider helping students to succeed.