Whereas, The need for a California community college-developed ESL assessment for placement test has been articulated by the 2007 Academic Senate for California Community College’s Consultation Council on Assessment Task Force, the 2009 Academic Senate/California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) Action Planning Group on Assessment, and the California Community College English as a Second Language (ESL) Placement Test Development Project (sponsored by the 2009-2011 California Community College Assessment Association and CCCCO);
Whereas, California community college (CCC) students, faculty, and instructional programs benefit from ESL assessment test content that more effectively measures the specific knowledge and skills expected of entering CCC students at various course placement levels than currently available instruments;
Whereas, California community colleges and the Chancellor’s Office benefit from affordable placement instruments based on test specifications and content which are developed, managed, and owned by the CCCCO; and
Whereas, A multi-level ESL placement instrument written by CCC content area experts (i.e., CCC ESL faculty), through a project funded by the CCCCO and led by the California Community College Assessment Association (CCCAA) has so far accomplished the following:
- Development of comprehensive ESL test-specifications (2009-2010)
- Development of Novice through Advanced-level Reading passages and test items, and Language Structure test items (2010-2011)
- Field-testing, psychometric analysis, and revision (if needed) of 45 Reading passages, 232 Reading test items, and 285 Language Structure items
- Development of a (Novice-Advanced level) Writing Sample scoring rubric
yet CCCCO funding of the project was suspended in early 2012, with no clear indication when and if funding would resume;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge the Chancellor’s Office to resume field testing for test item development so as to provide California community colleges with an ESL assessment test for placement.
MSC