(January 2009)
GUIDELINES FOR POLICY
802.01: STUDENT ASSESSMENT
1.
Purpose
The primary purpose of academic advising is to assist students in their pursuit of
meaningful educational programs that will help them fulfill their personal and
educational goals. Academic achievement is directly related to the quality and amount of
academic assessment and proper course placement students receive prior to enrollment
and during their college careers. The Alabama Community College System has a
collective commitment to provide opportunities for a successful experience for students.
2.
Procedures
Services to individual students should include providing accurate information; assisting
students in realizing academic capabilities, and in developing an educational plan
consistent with their personal and educational goals and objectives; and when
appropriate, making referrals to other institutional or community support services.
Services to the institution should include providing information to the institution or
academic department about students and their educational needs, successes, aspirations,
and problems in order to strengthen programs and services. Each institution will identify
delivery methods appropriate to its individual needs.
3.
Minimum Placement Cut Scores
A.
To ensure consistency of assessment and student placement within The Alabama
Community College System, all institutions shall adhere to the prescribed
minimum placement scores derived from using either the COMPASS or ASSET
assessment instruments.
COMPASS
Reading
65
ASSET
Reading
36
COMPASS
Writing
62
45
38
ASSET
Writing
42
39
38
COMPASS
Pre-Algebra
ASSET
Numerical
Skills
38
38
36
36
Placement
Exempt from Reading
Placement
ENG 101 English Composition
ENG 131 Applied Writing
COM 100 Introductory Technical English I
Placement
MAH 101 Introductory Mathematics I
MTH 116 Mathematical Applications
(January 2009)
COMPASS
Algebra
28
ASSET
Elementary
Algebra
37
28
37
COMPASS
Algebra
ASSET
Intermediate
Algebra
46
63
Placement
MTH 103 Introduction to Technical
Mathematics
MTH 100 Intermediate College Algebra
Placement
MTH 110 or 112 Finite Math or PreCalculus
Students scoring below 65 (COMPASS) or 36 (Asset) on the reading subtest must
take developmental reading within the first two semesters of enrollment as a corequisite to college-level courses. This requirement ensures that students are
adequately prepared to read college-level textbooks, and thus be successful
learners.
All cut scores are minimums. Institutions are strongly urged to periodically
review data received from ACT Research Services, DAX system, and
statistically-validated institutional research to determine the accuracy of
placement decisions. If research indicates the need for higher scores, institutions
are encouraged to raise cut scores.
4.
B.
Cut scores determine placement in college-level courses. System institutions
have autonomy in recommending the developmental tier in which a student is
placed depending upon the structure of developmental programs and the use of
additional local diagnostic instruments. For example, placement into ENG 092 or
ENG 093 may be determined based on a writing sample or additional prescriptive
instruments such as TABE.
C.
Students who wish to challenge placement results may re-test one time only
within a three-year period.
D.
Assessment scores will be valid for three years from the date of the original or retest assessment.
E.
Institutions will charge a one-time fee of $8 for re-testing.
Exemptions
Any student scoring 470 or above on the SAT Writing or 20 or above on the ACT
English within three years of enrollment is exempt from the English assessment
requirement.
(January 2009)
Any student scoring 470 or above on the SAT Reading or 20 or above on the ACT
Reading within three years of enrollment is exempt from the reading assessment
requirement.
Any student scoring 470 or above on the SAT Math or 20 or above on the ACT Math
within three years of enrollment is exempt from the math assessment requirement.
5.
Individualized Education Plans (IEP)
A.
All students who are placed into developmental courses shall be provided
individual education plans as part of their educational programs. Each student’s
plan should be tailored to his or her individual needs. For example, a student who
has been absent from formal education for several years and who places into
developmental mathematics may need only a refresher program, while a student
entering college on the basis of a GED may have a void of several key
mathematical concepts. Each student has somewhat different educational needs,
hence the requirement for an individualized education plan based on those needs
and identified deficiencies. Likewise, every institution has variable resources for
meeting the needs of at-risk students.
B.
The IEP should be developed in concert with the student, and the student should
be provided a written copy.
C.
The IEP should form the basis for the developmental student’s degree plan and
must include at a minimum the developmental courses required for the student.
The IEP may also include very specific information, possibly computer generated,
that specifies chapters or modules of text-based or computer-based instruction if
the student is in an individualized, computer-assisted instruction program.
D.
The IEP should be based on the needs of the student, as determined by formal
assessment.
E.
Ideally, the IEP should be developed by a team of educators whose members
represent various viewpoints and areas of expertise and include the student’s
input.
F.
To the extent institution resources permit, the IEP should define: (a) where
additional services to help the student can be located, the contact people and hours
of operation; (b) explanations of requirements for successful completion of the
program, and (c) other information deemed valuable to the student’s educational
success.
(January 2009)
6.
Evaluation Process
A.
Individual Institution Analysis
1.
Each individual institution shall conduct a periodic review to determine
the accuracy of placement scores. Each institution shall collect and
analyze the following data to determine the success of students in
developmental programs compared to the regular institution population.
a.
Grades and grade point averages of those who completed
developmental coursework;
b.
Year-to-year and term-to-term retention rates of developmental
students;
c.
Grades in follow-up courses;
d.
Course completion rates;
e.
Number of students placed in developmental courses, the number
who completed developmental courses, the number who continued
to the next level, and the number who completed the next level.
The population should be limited to students who transitioned
immediately to college-level courses.
B.
System Analysis
The Alabama Community College System shall utilize the research services
offered through ACT annually for validation of current minimum cut scores based
on the predicted accuracy in placement rates and student success rates. A
committee will review the data, and an annual System report shall be submitted to
the Chancellor analyzing the policy’s effectiveness by noting the number of
students assessed, their placement scores, and their success in developmental and
college-level courses.
(January 2009)
APPENDIX A
To:
Division of Instructional and Student Services
From:
College
Re:
Submission of Assessment and Placement Data to ACT for the
Spring, and Summer Term
Fall,
I, the undersigned official of the above-referenced college hereby certify that the assessment and
placement data was submitted to ACT during the terms referenced above, and to the best of my
knowledge and belief, the data submitted is accurate.
President
Date