WILLIAM AUSTIN, President
JOHN PEPPAS, Pathways Administrator
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TWO MOST COMMON PLACEMENT TESTS
In New Jersey, we use the common system
and placement cut scores for ETS’s
ACCUPLACER
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Should a multi-billion dollar industry
with little public accountability have
as much say in determining the
future of prospective community
college students?
FROM THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT YOU THE SAT
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A suite of tests that determines your knowledge in math, reading and writing as you prepare to enroll in college-level courses.
Used to identify strengths and weaknesses in each subject area and to help improve skills through interactive online learning tools.
The results of the assessment, in conjunction with your academic background, goals and interests, are used by academic advisors and counselors to place students in the appropriate college courses that meet their skill level.
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ACCUPLACER test questions
are based on your responses to
previous questions.
Questions will either increase or
decrease in difficulty depending
on how you respond.
ACCUPLACER tests are
untimed; however, it is important
to allow yourself enough time to
complete the test since test
results are a key factor in
determining the course(s) you
can enroll in.
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WCCC (NJ) CUT SCORES
MATH
Arithmetic(Exempt from MAT
050)
78
Elem. Algebra(Exempt from MAT
051)
76
Int. Algebra
(Exempt from MAT
052)
85
SAT
Math (Exempt from Remedial Math) 530
Verbal (Exempt from Remedial English) 540
ENGLISH
Reading(Exempt from ENG 042)
80
Writeplacer(Exempt from ENG 041)
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READING:ENG 042
Critical Reading
• 29% of Students score into this course
• 49% enroll 1 year later
• 0% have 2-year graduation
• 4% have 3-year graduation
• 7% have 4-year graduation
WRITING:ENG 041
Basic Writing
• 23% of Students score into this course
• 56% enroll 1 year later
• 2% have 2-year graduation
• 5% have 3-year graduation
• 9% have 4-year graduation
WARREN REMEDIAL SEQUENCE
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ARITHMETIC:MAT 050
Basic Math
• 28% of Students Score into this Course
• 55% enrolled one year later
• 0% have 2-year graduation
• 3% have 3-year graduation
• 7% have 4-year graduation
ALGEBRA:MAT 051
Introductory Algebra
• 18% of Students Score into this Course
• 62% enrolledone year later
• 7% have 2-year graduation
• 12% have 3-year graduation
• 15% have 4-year graduation
ALGEBRA:MAT 052
Intermediate Algebra
• 11% of Students Score into this Course
• 65% enrolledone year later
• 12% have 2-year graduation
• 21% have 3-year graduation
• 22% have 4-year graduation
WARREN REMEDIAL SEQUENCE
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EMPOWERING COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO
BUILD THE NATION’S FUTURE:
AN IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
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It will take radical action, not talk
Public Commitment to Goals
Creation of Pathways
Expand Prior Learning Assessments
Devise Completion Strategies
AACC IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE:RECOMMENDATION #1: INCREASE COMPLETION RATES 50% BY 2020
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AACC IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE:RECOMMENDATION #2: DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE COLLEGE READINESS
Define & Measure College Readiness
Collaborate with K-12 Partners
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Develop the role of community colleges as brokers of
educational opportunities rather than solely as direct providers
of instruction.
AACC IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE:RECOMMENDATION #4: REFOCUS THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE MISSION AND REDEFINE
INSTITUTIONAL ROLES
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What does it take to produce
COLLECTIVE
ANXIETY among well-educated community
college faculty and administrators
on any given morning?
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PLACEMENT TESTS V. REMEDIAL CLASSES
Traditional courses in remedial Math and English are semester-long; for example, a student who places into remedial arithmetic can move out of the remedial sequence and into college-level Math courses in a minimum of three semesters.
Even then, only 24% of our students placing into remedial Math make it out of the developmental sequence in three years.
All
Material
Required
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Is remedial educationwhich often lasts over several semesters, the best approach to
closing the success gap for our entering students in need of remediation?
Or is there a better answer?
TRUSTEES WANT A REVIEW
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PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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20 high school juniors were
identified by participating high
schools based on their initial scores
on the ACCUPLACER exam.(They had to demonstrate a lack of ‘college readiness’).
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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In order to participate, students
had to have scored low enough on
at least one portion of the exam to
leave room for improvement on
their placements into remedial
Math and/or English.
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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Of those 20 students, 19
successfully completed a six-week
Kaplan SAT preparation course.(Designed to strengthen students’ basic Math and
English skills and equip them with better test-taking
skills in anticipation of the SAT).
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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Of the 19 completers, 18 re-took the
ACCUPLACER at the end of the
Kaplan course, took the SAT exam
during or after the course, or did both
and submitted both sets of scores. So, the College worked with a sample size of N = 18.
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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Once the course was completed and we had received ACCUPLACER and/or SAT scores from all 18 students, we compared their pre-and post-Kaplan ACCUPLACER scores to
identify any individual Successful Outcomes (improvements in college readiness).
We also compared their pre-Kaplan ACCUPLACER scores to their post-Kaplan
SAT scores where applicable.
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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We were able to identify
four different kinds of
Successful Outcomes,or ways in which a student could have
improved on her/his college readiness.
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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Placing up one or more levels in remedial Math (e.g., originally placing into
Elementary Algebra, but now placing into Intermediate
Algebra) through an improved ACCUPLACER score
Becoming exempt from a remedial English course
through an improved ACCUPLACER score
Becoming exempt from all remedial Math through a high
enough SAT score or improved ACCUPLACER
score
Becoming exempt from all remedial English through a high enough SAT score or improved ACCUPLACER
score
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
Successful Outcomes are improvements in a
student’s scoring that led to one (or more) of the
following:
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Because some of the students initially placed into both remedial Math and remedial English, and because some of those students took the second ACCUPLACER and submitted post-
Kaplan SAT scores to us, a significant percentage of the participants demonstrated more than one kind of Successful Outcome.
Overall, a student’s achievement of any of the above four outcomes increased that
student’s defined college readiness.
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED
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12 experienced one or more of the above successes (67%)
22% placed up at least one level in remedial Math
28% became exempt from a remedial English course
33% became exempt from all remedial Math courses through either a qualifying SAT score or improved ACCUPLACER score
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED:
OF THOSE 18 STUDENTS…
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Similarly, 39% became exempt from all remedial English courses through either a qualifying SAT score or improved ACCUPLACER score
Of the 14 students (out of 18) who needed to improve their college readiness in both Math and English, 21% experienced a success in both subjects
PILOT STUDY IMPLEMENTED:
OF THOSE 18 STUDENTS…
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Prior to beginning the Kaplan
course, all 18 students were less
than college ready in at least one
area.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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At the completion of the
program, 67% demonstrated
increased college readiness in
at least one of those subjects.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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Furthermore, 61% were exempted
entirely from remedial English or
Math sequence.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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1. Considered in comparison to the
regular remedial success rates of
our enrolled students, the
success of the program is even
more compelling.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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2. When we track the remedial
success of WCCC’s first-time Fall
2010 students over three academic
years (six semesters), we see that
that success is very limited.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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3. Of those who placed into
remedial Math, only 24% made it
out of that remedial sequence.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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4. Of those who placed into
remedial English, only 26%
made it out of that sequence.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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5. And for those who placed into
both remedial Math and remedial
English, only 24% completed the
required remediation for both
subject areas (and were deemed
“college ready”) within three years.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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6. The Kaplan program had
superior results to the traditional
remedial education sequence.
PILOT STUDY RESULTS
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Only 24% of our students placing into remedial Math make it out of the
developmental sequence in three years.
The highly successful results of our ten-week pilot program demonstrate the promise in an alternate path to
college readiness.
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS(PRESENTED TO TRUSTEES & NJ SECRETARY OF
HIGHER EDUCATION)
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ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS
PRESENTED TO TRUSTEES &
NJ SECRETARY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
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It is the ethical responsibility of the
college to attempt a time saving,
cost saving method to achieve
“college readiness.”
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS
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A 61-67% success rate that can be achieved in 10 weeks compared
to a 24-26% success rate achieved in 18 months requires the Board, administration, faculty and staff to
seriously re-evaluate several factors:
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS
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Is the ACCUPLACER validly and reliably placing students? (i.e., it seems illogical that a 10 week prep course designed for a completely different purpose can yield such a significant change in outcomes, especially when compared to our existing programs lack of success designed for that practice)
Is the current remedial placement and course sequence valid, efficient, and effective?
Is the current higher education definition of “college ready” accurate or valid?
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS:RE-EVALUATION FACTORS
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ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS
PRESENTED TO TRUSTEES
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These and other serious questions should be considered by policy
makers and evaluated by further more comprehensive research.
Although this small pilot study cannot demonstrate conclusive data
for final decision-making; the dramatic results raise serious
concerns over the validity of current higher education practice.
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS(PRESENTED TO TRUSTEES)
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It is the responsibility of college officials to examine these concerns and place student needs, performance and outcomes above untested curriculum
structures, sequences, and ‘the way we have always done it’ attitudes that are
dramatically impacting the future success of an entire generation of
students and our nation.
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCLUSIONS(PRESENTED TO TRUSTEES)
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TRUSTEE CONCLUSIONS
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Create an elective non-credit “prep model” prior to testing that can lead to greater student
graduation rates in 2 and 3 year periods.
Expand HS dual enrollment credentialing to make placement testing less necessary for
future entering students.
Expect and plan for lower enrollment as average student time to completion is lowered
at the onset.
Use all three above goals to assist in strategic plan development, ensuring student tuition cost
effectiveness over institutional revenue.
TRUSTEE CONCLUSIONS
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Who should our community colleges
be serving?
Who could benefit from a community college education whom we are not
presently serving?
As professionals, what do we want
from our community college?
COLLEGE OF THE FUTURE
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NEXT STEPS