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News: California State University officially ends long-time use of placement tests


Arcadia
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"Students enrolling at a California State University campus will no longer have to slog through math or English placement tests to take classes for college credit. Instead, the schools will look at a combination of high school grades, SAT scores and AP scores to decide if incoming students are ready for college-level work.

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The exact grades and scores that will determine whether students are ready for college-level classes are still being decided, but the shift is part of a broader effort to increase graduation rates across the system.

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“I think there is a growing body of evidence nationally that suggests that over-reliance on standardized exams does not serve as a valid or reliable predictor of how well students are likely to perform in college classrooms,†Minor added. While the SAT and AP are standardized tests, CSU will now look at those scores in combination with grades and other factors instead of just a single placement test."

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/03/california-state-university-officially-ends-long-time-use-of-placement-tests/

 

ETA:

"Cal Poly says the change in CSU policy on placement tests will have no impact on its campus or new students" http://www.ksby.com/story/36065464/cal-state-university-to-drop-math-english-placement-tests

Edited by Arcadia in CA
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Perhaps they would do well not to admit students who aren't ready for college level work.  

 

+1    That is the issue.   Some students, with a university placement exam, will do extremely well, as did the DD of a friend, who tested into an Advanced Calculus course.   Others will need Remedial Math courses and should instead be in a Community or Junior College.

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This goes along with the lowering of standards all across the board. We have seen this in high schools already and now the colleges have to deal with students who are unable to do basic math and complete entry level writing assignments. It's a sad state of affairs. 

That said I know that the new standardized high school tests for English and Math are now used to replace the placement tests at colleges. I know California Community Colleges place the student in the college level courses based on a specific score on the tests in high school. I am not sure how I feel about this as both my kids have said that these standardized tests are really easy.

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That said I know that the new standardized high school tests for English and Math are now used to replace the placement tests at colleges.

The bar is currently very low for meeting the Fully Ready criteria. However with the placement test no longer offered, homeschool or private school students might have to have a standardized score on hand. SAT and ACT are currently not required for California residents.

 

Below quoted is the current criteria for Fully Ready.

 

English

"SAT 550 or higher on EBRW section

ACT 22 or higher on the English section

AP 3 or higher on the Language & Composition or Literature & Composition

EAP Standard Exceeded (Level 4) in CAASPP English

CLEP 50 or higher on College Composition, or College Composition Modular"

 

Math

"SAT 570 or higher on the Mathematics section

SAT subject 550 or higher on the Mathematics IC or ICC

ACT 23 or higher on the Mathematics section

AP 3 or higher on the Calculus AB or Calculus BC or Statistics

EAP Standard Exceeded (Level 4) in CAASPP Mathematics

CLEP 50 or higher on Calculus, College Algebra, College Mathematics, or Pre-Calculus"

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English 
"SAT 550 or higher on EBRW section
ACT 22 or higher on the English section
AP 3 or higher on the Language & Composition or Literature & Composition
EAP Standard Exceeded (Level 4) in CAASPP English
CLEP 50 or higher on College Composition, or College Composition Modular"

Math
"SAT 570 or higher on the Mathematics section
SAT subject 550 or higher on the Mathematics IC or ICC
ACT 23 or higher on the Mathematics section
AP 3 or higher on the Calculus AB or Calculus BC or Statistics
EAP Standard Exceeded (Level 4) in CAASPP Mathematics
CLEP 50 or higher on Calculus, College Algebra, College Mathematics, or Pre-Calculus" 

 

 

Yes. The tests above in blue are the ones given at the high school level. If the score is a Level 3 then the student is still exempt from placement tests and the Early Start Program if the student takes an approved English and/or Math class in 12th grade.

 

All that aside I find it interesting that over-reliance on standardized test scores is criticized. In reality this is really all the same. Just different tests and different standards.

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