Effective Practice B.1: Orientation, assessment, and placement are mandatory
for all new students.
There is widespread agreement in the literature regarding the benefits of mandatory orientation,
assessment, and placement for developmental education students.
The following strategies were cited in the literature review as promoting this effective practice. Determine the extent
to which your institution uses these strategies by completing the table below. Specify ALL levels at which the
strategy exists/occurs by listing the programs and/or departments which employ the strategy. If the strategy is
employed consistently throughout the institution, indicate “institution-wide.” If the strategy is not currently
employed by your institution, simply indicate “does not occur.”
Strategies Related to Effective Practice
Where Strategies Occur
B.1.1
Mandatory orientation exists for all new students.
EOPS Eureka Campus only.
B.1.2
Mandatory assessment exists for all new students.
Does not occur.
B.1.3
Mandatory placement exists for students assessed at
developmental levels.
Occurs institution-wide with
regard to math and English
courses only.
B.1.4
Expanded pre-enrollment activities exist for students placed into
developmental education courses.
Eureka campus only.
B.1.5
Diverse institutional stakeholders engage in routine review of
the relationship between assessment instruments and student
success in courses.
Very limited.
As applicable, briefly describe how this practice occurs/exists at your institution:
B.1.1. Though many different types of student orientations are conducted District wide, only the EOPS orientation
at Eureka is mandatory; if students do not attend, they do not receive their textbook vouchers. All other orientations
are voluntary. Various, non-mandatory orientations are available to students:
EUREKA
“Redwood Days” each Fall
On-campus Residence Halls Orientation each Fall
Special Programs Orientations each semester (i.e. EOPS, DSPS & TRIO)
Orientation Handbook presented to new students
1-on-1 orientations
MENDOCINO
General Orientation each Fall (only 1 student attended in Fall 2007)
Special Programs Orientations each semester (i.e. EOPS, DSPS & TRIO)
1-on-1 orientations
DEL NORTE
New Student Orientation each semester (orientations take place before each group assessment and have excellent
attendance)
Special Orientation for High School Students
Special Programs Orientations each semester (i.e. EOPS, DSPS & TRIO)
1-on-1 orientations
B.1.2. Students who express intentions of degree/certificate completion or transfer are assessed in math and English
via ACCUPlacer.
Non-matriculating students—that is, students who express interest in “personal enrichment” only and students who
wish to enroll in “hands-on” coursework (e.g. art labs)—are not required to complete assessment testing.
Students that have completed college-level English and math course work at another accredited institution are not
required to take assessment exams.
B.1.3. Mandatory placement occurs in Math and English courses only according to assessment scores. Enrollment
in Math and English courses is allowed only for students with appropriate ACCUPlacer scores and students who
have completed the required prerequisite(s). All other enrollment restrictions are tied to prerequisites. However,
because CR has very few cross-disciplinary prerequisites (three philosophy courses have English 1A prerequisites;
there are no other cross-disciplinary prerequisites at CR), enrollment in non-Math and non-English courses is
restricted only by intra-discipline prerequisites that are not connected to assessments. The result is that students can
enroll, regardless of their Math/English assessment scores, in any non-Math and non-English course at CR that does
not have a prerequisite. Moreover, fear that prerequisites harm enrollment has caused faculty to remove
prerequisites from many course outlines during the last five years.
Students registering online are blocked from signing up for math and English classes until they have met the above
requirements.
B.1.4. Only the Eureka campus has a pre-enrollment activity specifically for students who place into developmental
education courses. On the Eureka campus, students enrolled in learning communities attend an orientation the week
before classes begin.
B.1.5. Approximately 5 years ago, the English faculty worked with Daniel Peterson in the ASC to correlate
ACCUPlacer cut scores for English 150 and English 1A to competency exam scores in English 350 and 150
respectively and to 1st week instructor assessment of students. That project has since been abandoned. English 350
course leaders have been collecting data relevant to competency exam scores, course grades, and success in future
English courses, and the Office of Institutional Research has begun to examine correlations between placement
scores and success rates. As the Institutional Research Department continues to build on existing data storage and
capacity, the relationships between placement scores and success rates will be tracked from year to year and trend
data will be analyzed.
What evidence exists to support the efficacy of this practice?
B.1.1. Not applicable.
B.1.2. Not applicable.
B.1.3. Not applicable.
B.1.4. None available.
B.1.5. None.
What barriers/limitations exist to implementing or enhancing this practice?
B.1.1. While there seem to be many different types of orientations delivered to new students, there is no systematic,
coordinated orientation for all new students who come to the college, and there is no one person or office
coordinating orientation efforts. There is a belief that mandating orientation would violate California state law and
would have a negative impact on enrollment growth.
B.1.2. While it is clear the vast majority of new CR students are assessed in math and English, no standardized
prerequisites or prior assessment exist before enrollment. Additionally, whether or not a student is compelled to
complete assessments depends largely on how a student describes his/her motivation for attending. For example,
student A may express a desire to take an art history course as part of degree or transfer program; student B may
express a desire to take that same art history course for personal enrichment. Student A would be required to
complete assessments prior to enrollment, while student B may or may not be required to do so.
B.1.3. Until recently, College of the Redwoods has not had a stable Office of Institutional Research and, therefore,
has not had the ability to conduct validation studies for cross-disciplinary prerequisites. Now CR has an excellent
IR office, but the trend of declining enrollment during the last five years seems to have prompted faculty to remove
any barriers to enrollments—specifically, prerequisites. Many faculty are reluctant to include English 350 (two
levels below college-level English) as “recommended preparation” on their courses for fear that students may not
enroll in their courses.
B.1.4. There is the perception that formal pre-enrollment activities are less necessary on the smaller Mendocino and
Del Norte campuses because counseling staff are able to work one-on-one with students more frequently than staff
on the larger Eureka campus. Nonetheless, some formal pre-enrollment activities may be useful.
B.1.5. The most significant barriers to implementing this practice are 1) a lack of ongoing, institution-wide
communication and 2) a lack of understanding about who the “diverse stakeholders” relevant to this question would
include. Despite the work that went into and the conversation that surrounded the 2003 Underprepared Student
report, many at CR still perceive basic skills primarily as an issue for math and English faculty to deal with.
How might this practice be advanced or expanded upon in the future?
B.1.1. The practice of providing mandatory orientation for all new students could be accomplished by centralizing
all orientation activities on the campus and by requiring new students to attend an orientation session to earn
enrollment eligibility.
B.1.2. There seem to be three barriers to implementing the practice of mandatory assessment:
1. Advising staff and counseling faculty are rightly concerned about placing enrollment impediments in the way of
students coming to CR for personal growth/enrichment.
2. There is the belief that CR cannot refuse enrollment to any student who refuses to complete assessments.
3. There is a belief that California state law prevents the institution from engaging in mandatory assessment and
placement and that such practices would have a negative impact on future enrollment at the college.
B.1.3. Faculty desire for cross-disciplinary prerequisites and a willingness to conduct the required validation studies
could lead to a modification of curriculum documents to include prerequisites for all courses for which they are
appropriate. Such actions would create an institution-wide mandatory placement system which would serve students
who place into developmental education courses as well as all other students.
B.1.4. Across the district, the infrastructure for pre-enrollment activities exists and there are several programs that
have successfully offered these activities to students. If this practice is to be advanced in the upcoming years it will
require buy-in from administration, faculty and staff to formalize these activities and make their presence consistent.
B.1.5. CR could engage diverse stakeholders in conversation by tasking a diverse group to produce and share datadriven answers to questions about correlations between assessments and success.
Effective Practice B.2: Regular program evaluations are conducted, results are
disseminated widely, and data are used to improve practice.
Various studies provide evidence that comprehensive and systematic program evaluation is a
hallmark of successful development education programs.
The following strategies were cited in the literature review as promoting this effective practice. Determine the extent
to which your institution uses these strategies by completing the table below. Specify ALL levels at which the
strategy exists/occurs by listing the programs and/or departments which employ the strategy. If the strategy is
employed consistently throughout the institution, indicate “institution-wide.” If the strategy is not currently
employed by your institution, simply indicate “does not occur.”
Strategies Related to Effective Practice
B.2.1
Developmental education course content and entry/exit skills
are regularly reviewed and revised as needed.
B.2.2
Formative program evaluation activities occur on a regular
basis.
B.2.3
Summative program evaluation activities occur on a regular
basis.
B.2.4
Multiple indices exist to evaluate the efficacy of
developmental education courses and programs.
B.2.5
Data obtained from course/program evaluation are
disseminated and used for future planning and continuous
improvement.
Where Strategies Occur
Within Course Outline Updates
(every five years as recommended
by Program Review) for all
developmental courses.
Program Review (annual updates)
of English, Math, GS and Reading
provide an analysis of goals and
objectives for these courses.
Program Review (annual updates)
and IR data for English, Math,
GS and Reading provide a review
of completion/retention rates and
grades for developmental courses
in these areas.
English, GS and Reading have
been tracking student performance
(entrance and exit competency
scores).
Planning and improvement
efforts are confined to the
departments/programs
which collect data.
As applicable, briefly describe how this practice occurs/exists at your institution:
While developmental education faculty and staff in English, General Studies and Reading have been
tracking and evaluating data relative to the courses they offer, no one entity has been analyzing,
evaluating or disseminating all these efforts.
What evidence exists to support the efficacy of this practice?
Following College of the Redwood’s 2002-2003 year of research on Best Practices for Basic
Skills that culminated in the publication of The Underprepared that listed six recommendations
mirroring the BSI research, the College established a highly coordinated, integrated initiative to
address Basic Skills needs. For the years 2003-2004, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006, CR made
impressive progress in all areas being review through the “Basic Skills Initiative.” Classroombased research was employed in fall of 2007 to measure course satisfaction and outcomes in
English 350 and GS 150. Prior to that and at the conclusion of our second “Semester of
Success,” student retention, success and persistence through GS 360/361 to English 350/GS 150
were tracked in S05.
However, with the College’s maelstrom of negative factors including financial deficits,
administrative exodus, accreditation watch and probation, and an enrollment decline that reflects
county K-12 and state trends, the College abandoned its BSI college-wide initiatives and now
apply “Best Practices” in very limited areas such as Adult Literacy and EOPS linked English and
Learning/Study Skills.
Students who use tutoring services, the writing lab, or the math lab are currently being tracked by
the Academic Support Center, which is working with the IR department to track student
satisfaction and success rates (grades, course completion) of students who use these services.
What barriers/limitations exist to implementing or enhancing this practice?
Lack of staffing, lack of District funding, and administrative oversight are all barriers.
Developmental educational courses are not coordinated with District counseling and advising
staff, nor is there effective faculty communication among disciplines.
On a positive note, however, once the College is stabilized in the areas of finance,
administration, and accreditation, the infrastructure can begin to be successfully advanced over a
three period and can be re-implemented college-wide.
How might this practice be advanced or expanded upon in the future?
Identify staffing, faculty and administrative needs to address developmental education level
students across District. Hire District funded staff to meet this need, grant faculty reassigned
time to coordinate, and direct administration to implement an effective Basic Skills program.
Provide continuous District wide training for counseling, advising and support staff, full and
part-time faculty, and administrators regarding the needs of developmental students. Create and
implement systems to address both the academic and affective needs of developmental students.
Track student retention, success and persistence throughout all developmental course offerings
and sequences, disseminate this information throughout the district and evaluate through IR.
Effective Practice B.3: Counseling support provided is substantial, accessible,
and integrated with academic courses/programs.
According to the literature, a strong counseling component is characteristic of successful
developmental education programs.
The following strategies were cited in the literature review as promoting this effective practice. Determine the extent
to which your institution uses these strategies by completing the table below. Specify ALL levels at which the
strategy exists/occurs by listing the programs and/or departments which employ the strategy. If the strategy is
employed consistently throughout the institution, indicate “institution-wide.” If the strategy is not currently
employed by your institution, simply indicate “does not occur.”
Strategies Related to Effective Practice
B.3.1
B.3.2
Where Strategies Occur
A proactive counseling/advising structure that includes
intensive monitoring and advising serves students placed into
developmental education courses.
EOPS (Eureka campus)
Counseling and instruction are integrated into the
developmental education program.
EOPS (Eureka campus)
B.3.3
Counseling staff are specifically trained to address the
academic, social, and emotional needs of developmental
education students.
B.3.4
Counseling of developmental education students occurs
early in the semester/quarter.
SSSP, EOPS and DSPS (Del
Norte campus)
SSSP and counseling (Del
Norte campus)
SSSP ( Del Norte campus)
EOPS (Eureka campus)
Counseling/Advising as a team
(Del Norte campus)
As applicable, briefly describe how this practice occurs/exists at your institution:
B.3.1 EOPS (Eureka) has integrated counseling staff into English 350 and GS 150 courses for
the past year. A part-time EOPS counselor is designated to work with students in the Learning
Community courses. The counselor and/or EOPS assistant director were present on the 1st day
of class to verify attendance and contacted students who were not present. LC faculty also notify
EOPS counselor/staff of any other student attendance, performance, or personal issues. A similar
process takes place on the Del Norte campus through the Student Support Services Program (TRIO grant)
and to some extent through EOPS in terms of Student Education Plans. SSSP does an early alert
assessment through instructors. DSPS also closely follows students in developmental courses through the
DRC guidance classes and the tutoring program.
B.3.2 EOPS counselor/staff are integrated in the GS curriculum (i.e. specific presentations and
workshops for LC students). SSSP does classroom presentations in developmental courses and is
working to establish a Supplemental Instruction service in developmental English and math courses.
Counseling is involved closely with the GS 150 course through direct instruction or through mentoring
instructor and class presentations/discussions.
B.3.3 Does not occur at present time. However, EOPS assistant director and part-time
counselors will be attending a First-Year Experience conference to receive relevant training.
Some of this has taken place at TRIO training conferences attended SSSP staff. We have all had varied
training over the years.
Past TRIO trainings have been on increasing retention and have included the needs of developmental students as
well as others. Becky is the only current person who attended those trainings. More recent ones have focused on
the grant itself.
B.3.4 LC students are required to take the Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory (CSI) which
identifies risk factors (i.e. motivation, support systems, etc) by the end of the 3rd week. The CSI
is followed up with an individual appointment with EOPS LC counselor. We do individual
counseling for virtually all new students and continuing students who request it, obviously including
students at the developmental level.
SSSP program does an “early alert” through instructors and intervenes with students as needed, including
those at the developmental level. We also do a Special Programs Orientation at the beginning of each
semester which among other things stresses the importance of utilizing the support services available to
students.
What evidence exists to support the efficacy of this practice?
Programs were created based on “best practices” sited in the Under prepared Report and Basic
Skills Initiative research. Eureka EOPS assessment will take place at the end of this academic
year.
B.3.3. Re: SSS 75% of the students served by the grant have to stay in good academic standing (they
have) and 25% have to earn a degree or transfer within three years
What barriers/limitations exist to implementing or enhancing this practice?
Lack of staffing, lack of District funding allocated for non-categorical counseling and advising
staff. Developmental educational courses are not coordinated with District counseling and
advising staff.
How might this practice be advanced or expanded upon in the future?
Identify staffing needs to address developmental education level students across District. Hire
District funded staff to meet this need. Provide continuous District wide training for counseling
and advising staff regarding the needs of developmental education students. Create and
implement systems to address counseling needs of developmental education students.
Effective Practice B.4: Financial aid is disseminated to support developmental
students. Mechanisms exist to ensure that students are aware of such
opportunities and are provided with assistance to apply for and acquire
financial aid.
Studies have correlated provision of financial aid with increased student success. Financial aid
allows developmental students to focus more purposefully on their academic work.
The following strategies were cited in the literature review as promoting this effective practice. Determine the extent
to which your institution uses these strategies by completing the table below. Specify ALL levels at which the
strategy exists/occurs by listing the programs and/or departments which employ the strategy. If the strategy is
employed consistently throughout the institution, indicate “institution-wide.” If the strategy is not currently
employed by your institution, simply indicate “does not occur.”
Strategies Related to Effective Practice
B.4.1
B.4.2
B.4.3
B.4.4
Outreach and proactive mechanisms exist to educate
developmental students about various opportunities to acquire
financial aid.
Developmental students receive timely assistance in identifying
and applying for appropriate sources of financial aid.
The institution actively solicits additional aid sources in support
of developmental students (e.g. potential scholarship donors or
textbook grants).
The institution creates incentive programs that financially
reward students who achieve/persist in developmental programs.
Where Strategies Occur
EOPS orientations and
guidance classes Districtwide
District-wide
Foundation/CRFL
Does not occur
As applicable, briefly describe how this practice occurs/exists at your institution:
B.4.1. Staff members make presentations to many groups that may have developmental student
populations: such as EOPS orientations, guidance classes, on-campus housing check-in day,
Athletic Recruitment Days and Independent Living Skills Classes. Financial aid awareness days
are held the first week of February on the Eureka Campus to provide information regarding the
financial aid application process, TV/newspaper ads are purchased throughout the District which
provide the community with info about financial aid availability. CR coordinates with the I Can
Afford College media campaign (state-wide effort specifically marketing financial aid to
potential CCC students); CalSOAP program provides financial aid information/assistance to high
school seniors at participating district high schools; financial aid nights provide information to
students/parents of seniors at district high schools, the Eureka Campus has a student
development advisor who is responsible for financial aid outreach as well as advising; new
applicants to CR receive an insert with their ‘welcome’ letter describing the steps to the financial
aid process.
B.4.2 Online financial aid application workshops are held throughout February to assist students
in completing the application prior to the priority deadline of March 2; dates are publicized in the
local newspaper, on the CR website and posters are distributed throughout the campus; EOPS
students receive newsletters reminding them of financial aid application deadlines; continuing
financial aid recipients receive email reminders from the Department of Education that it is time
to re-file for the following year.
B.4.3. The District does not currently have anything in place that specifically targets
developmental students; although any student can apply for applicable scholarships. Students
who qualify for the state-funded EOPS program and are involved in the EOPS Learning
Community receive required textbooks for free as well as extra needed supplies and special
assessments that may be needed.
B.4.4. does not occur
What evidence exists to support the efficacy of this practice?
The Green Lights & Red Tape report developed by The Institute for College Access & Success
(12/07) focuses on policies and practices that can have a particularly significant effect on
students’ access to financial aid
What barriers/limitations exist to implementing or enhancing this practice?
Limited staffing makes it difficult to provide more outreach as well as limited funding is
available for marketing/advertising. Staff turn-over on Eureka Campus makes it difficult to
ensure staff remains current on all program regulations.
How might this practice be advanced or expanded upon in the future?
Be proactive in outreach to faculty so that they all are aware that financial aid staff is available to
provide classroom presentations; develop consistent training for all financial aid staff that
incorporates specific needs of developmental education level students; develop communication
strategies that recognize the different needs of students
Planning Matrix for Section B - Program Components
Please state your college’s Long-Term Goals (5 yrs.) for Section B (Program Components) and develop a related Action Plan for the
next year (1 yr.) Include planned actions that require new funds and those that will not rely on new funds; also, reference the related
effective practice(s), identify targeted completion dates, and identify persons responsible for each activity.
Long-Term Goals (5 yrs.) for Section B:
Development of a District-wide and multi-disciplinary approach to reviewing Basic Skills curriculum and programs
Develop counseling and administrative capacity to oversee comprehensive assessment, placement, and orientation
Develop District-wide assessment and placement policies
District: College of the Redwoods
Action Plan for Section B
Academic Year _’08-‘09__ (please specify year) College:
Section B
Program Components
Section
Planned Action
Convene a diverse group of stakeholder to evaluate
assessment and placement policies
Effective Practice and Strategy
Target Date for
Completion
B.1.2, B.1.3, B.1.5
March 1, 2009
Incorporate a review of basic skills practices in all
program reviews
B.2.2, B.2.3
March 1, 2009
Develop a district-wide process of tracking student
retention, success, persistence, and counseling contacts
B.2.4, B.2.5
March 1, 2009
____________________________
Signature, Chief Executive Officer
Basic Skills as a Foundation for Student Success
__________
Date
________________________________
Signature, Academic Senate President
Responsible Person(s)/
Department(s)
Assessment Team
Program Review
Committee, Vice
President of Student
Services
Institutional Research
Department
__________
Date
Part 2: Assessment Tool for Effective Practices in Basic Skills
10