Grand Rapids Community College
Teaching and Learning Quality Report – Year 2
Placement Report
July 2, 2014
Report History:
This report was originally presented to Deans Council on October 11, 2012. At that time, there was a second
report called ACT Cut Score. The data and measures were very similar to this report so it was decided to
combine them into the one report. There were no other recommendations and the report was approved as
presented at Deans.
PURPOSE:
This report will show the standards, process and outcomes measures regarding mandatory placement process at
GRCC. This will serve as partial evidence of how the institution meets the college End of Student Success.
The purpose of this report is to review data of students placed in classes via mandatory placement since the
policy was first implemented and determine if students were placed successfully; did they persist; were they
successful in next level classes; and completion and graduation rates.
OVERVIEW:
Review of Admissions Policy:
Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA from high school and ACT sub scores of 18 in Math, English, and
Reading or students can submit a college transcript that shows a minimum of 12 completed credits and a 2.0
cumulative GPA.
Students who do not meet these minimum requirements or choose not to turn in the required documents can
take the Accuplacer Placement Test.
Review of Accuplacer Test:
The Accuplacer tests consists of 4 sections in total and the number of tests the students take depends on the
information they provide for admissions. Students are allowed one free test. If they choose to re-test they must
pay a $20 fee. Students are only allowed to pay once for a re-test. If they still question their placement, they can
submit an appeal that is reviewed by the Associate Dean of Student Success and Retention Services.
For example, a student who meets the high school GPA requirements but provides tests scores of an 18 for
English, 17 for Math, and a 16 for Reading would be required to take only the Math and Reading section of the
Accuplacer tests.
The Accuplacer test is untimed with the exception of the writing portion. When the students come to this
section of the test, the student is given a topic to write about and is expected to compose an essay of between
300 and 600 words. The timer does not begin on the test until the student begins to type and they are allowed
pencil and paper to write out as much of the essay as they would like before they begin. The student has 40
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minutes to complete this section.
The math portion of the test does not allow calculators but students are allowed pencil and paper. The math test
begins with Algebra. Depending on the score, the student may or may not go into the Arithmetic portion of the
test.
*Note* - Students who indicate that English is not their first language will be taken into the LOEP test.
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Mandatory Placement History:
Mandatory Placement was approved by AGC in Fall of 2008 for Winter 2010 implementation.
• Winter 2010 – Mandatory Placement first implemented for Math and English (MA 095, MA 097, and EN
097)
• Winter 2011 – 3 or more AFP placements trigger an MND (mandatory) hold. The MND hold is a
registration hold that goes on the student’s account and the student must register for classes through a
counselor. The MND hold also mandates the student enrolls in PY 100 (now PY 097).

Fall 2011 – AFP classes no longer count toward graduation

MA 104 changed to MA 098

PY 100 changed to PY 097
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• Winter 2013 – 2 or more AFP placements in the following classes will trigger an MND.

Fall 2013 – RD 095, EN 101/EN 120 and EN 097/EN 101 were added to placement

Winter 2014 Mandatory CLS – students either do PY 097 or CLS 100
PROGRESS RE: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LAST REPORT:
1.
Original Report:
The Data Warehouse should provide easier access to data and develop improved data tracking. This
will allow us to develop reports and to provide detailed data on students and AFP classes.
Update on 12/17/12
Currently, the Data Warehouse is being used for Title III purposes. While they are utilizing it, the data
validation is being done as well. As soon as IT confirms some of the reports they are using are valid they will
start releasing them to others. In addition, once Title III use is up and running, other departments will be phased
in. Based on what IT shared we expect that we will have access to the data warehouse by June 2013 and we will
develop our reports by August 2013.
Current:
We are not using the Data Warehouse. We continue to pull reports and data from People Soft or receive them
from IRP.
2.
Original Report:
Continue to develop procedures and documents that will inform the students of the stakes of the Accuplacer
test. This includes developing study materials and methods to encourage students to wait to test if they are not
prepared or at the very least to take their time.
Update on 12/17/12
This work is currently in progress. Some of the conversation is happening in a new group called the Enrollment
Management Team (EMT). In addition, Jason Schueller is beginning to reach out to other schools to see what
their policy and procedures are for test anxiety, re-testing, practice tests, etc. We will be sending out more
detailed instructions and resources to high school counselors and students who test by March 2013 (including
some improvements we have already documented and input from the research Jason is conducting on other best
practices).
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Current:
We have developed documentation that we use to send to the high schools in advance of onsite testing. This
has been well received from the high schools though we do not know to what extent students are studying in
advance. We did a pilot with Union High School to do a prep course prior to the administration of the test.
However, this was not well received even though we were partners in the pilot. Timing, logistics, and
resistance from school staff to release students from class for this did not go well. We continue to work with
our high school counselors on ways this work can be accomplished. The Success Coaches also do outreach to
potential Fast Track candidates and stress the importance of the test and studying in advance.
3.
Original Report:
Benchmarking with other institutions on their policy and methods and what has been successful should be
completed.
Update on 12/17/12
Recently Lori Cook attended the Michigan Association of Collegiate Officers and Admissions Officers
(MACRAO) conference and was able to begin gathering some information from other schools. More research
and best practices will be gathered by Jason Schueller (as noted in the previous bullet). A final a report of all
community college best practices will be completed, including any findings and recommendations regarding
testing
Current:
Data was collected from like community colleges and a best practices document was completed. The conclusion
was there are no glaring differences in processes and policies amongst schools. We only have some minor
inconsistencies. For example, some schools administer the test as part of orientation rather than part of the
admission processes. Cut scores and mandatory placement of classes was fairly consistent.
4.
Original Report
A student worker proctoring the test works well but a professional is needed upon exiting the student. Ideally,
we would like to have an advisor available to go over their scores before the student leaves campus
Update on 12/17/12:
We continue to put in a budget request for a permanent part time person and gain support from Lynnae and John
for a permanent counselor to be housed in the Enrollment Center. Conversations are also occurring with
Domingo Hernandez-Gomez if a success coach could work out of the Enrollment Center and assist in this work
as well. These initiatives will be coincide and be completed within the college’s annual budget request process
(March 2013)
Current:
The position continues to go unfunded. However, we have the Success Coaches working out of the Enrollment
Center on a regular basis. They primarily do the intake of the test and consult when they exit. We thought we
might see an increase in students deciding not to take the test on the same day once the test was thoroughly
explained to them. However the overwhelming majority continue to want to test on the same day.
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We now have a counselor permanently placed in the Enrollment Center. This has worked out extremely well,
not only for students exiting the test, but students stopping in with counselor related questions and our ESL
students who take the LOEP portion of the Accuplacer test. This has been a wonderful improvement.
5.
Original Report:
The ACT cut score report is very similar to this report including the same measures and outcomes. I recommend
combining them into one report.
Update on 12/17/12:
These reports have been combined and are now referred to as the Placement report (and will be reviewed in
September 2013).
Current:
No Change
PROCESS MEASURES:
1. Were students properly placed?
Students are placed into classes based on many People Soft processes that have been developed. We have
several processes in place to double check data integrity and have not found any students that were not placed
into the correct class.
We are able to place a waiver on a student’s account if they later provide a transcript that would waive an
Academic Foundation class placement.
OUTCOME MEASURES:
a. Successful Completion of Gateway Courses (after Dev Ed Success)
b. Course Success
c. Retention
d. Graduation Rate
Data provided by IRP:
a. Successful Completion of Gateway Courses
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b. Course Success
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c. Retention Rates
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d. Graduation Rates
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Additional Placement Data:
Fall 2011
New Enrolled 1 AFP
Students Enrolled 1 AFP
1610
2455
Winter 2012
New Enrolled 1 AFP
Students Enrolled 1 AFP
889
3633
Fall 2012
New Enrolled 1 AFP
Students Enrolled 1 AFP
1859
3155
Winter 2013
New Enrolled 1 AFP
Students Enrolled 1 AFP
795
2446
Fall 2013
New Enrolled 1 AFP
Students Enrolled 1 AFP
1728
2852
Winter 2014
New Enrolled 1 AFP
Students Enrolled 1 AFP
618
2063
Our enrollment decline is shown in our numbers. It is difficult to say what the reason is and likely not tied to
mandatory placement. The gains are not significant and this is a bit surprising given all the extra efforts by
many on campus. The Success Coaches also work very hard with the AFP students, and we have worked
differently and directly with the high schools. We moved resources into the Enrollment Center but there are not
any significant gains that can be seen.
ISSUES/CONCERNS
A permanent position is needed for Accuplacer proctoring. This is currently being done by a contingency staff
member and student workers.
Students who have two or more AFP placements have an MND service indicator placed on their account. This
hold prevents self-enrollment by the student. As we move to mandatory orientation and more mandatory
classes, we need a process that will allow students to self-enroll while enforcing the class placement. A project
was submitted with IT. However, the conclusion was the only way to truly make this work as needed is for
AFP classes to be issued as pre-requisites
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RECOMMENDATIONS/NEXT STEPS FOR NEXT YEAR
Next Steps
Data Warehouse utilization for
improved tracking.
Improve and implement
Accuplacer preparation material,
methods, and communication.
 Online, 24-hour access
 Onsite high school
preparation
 Success Coaches
MND student hold self-registration
I.T. solution
Full-time professional proctor
position (resubmit position
rationale in 2015-2016 budget
cycle)
Responsible for Action
Jason Schueller (assistance from
Bruce Morrison)
Jason Schueller
Target Date for Completion
December 2014
Jason Schueller
April 2015
Lori Cook
February 2015
December 2014
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