Early Assessment Program (EAP) Funding and Implementation

Fall
2009
Resolution Number
18.01
 
Contact
Assigned to
President
Category
Matriculation
Status
Completed
Status Report

Senate representatives worked with Chancellor's Office staff to implement the EAP as one of the assessment tools used by community colleges.

Whereas, Senate Bill (SB) 946 authorized all community colleges to use the Early Assessment Program (EAP) to assess readiness for college-level English and mathematics, yet no funding was attached to the implementation, and piloting is set to begin in the 2009-2010 academic year;

Whereas, The Early Assessment Program (EAP) was developed and is used by the California State Universities (CSUs) to determine college readiness, to allow exemption from CSU placement testing for English and mathematics courses, and to inform high school students concerning their individual readiness;

Whereas, California community colleges (CCCs) assess students for placement in courses that may be up to four levels below transfer-level, as opposed to merely making a dichotomous determination of ready or not ready for college, and the EAP was not designed to make these more complex distinctions; and

Whereas, The EAP as currently implemented does not promote pre-emptive preparation and appropriate placement because students taking the EAP in their junior year of high school do not receive the results until after the beginning of their senior year and therefore are unable to address gaps during summer school or by altering their senior year schedule;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges support and work with the Chancellor's Office to acquire appropriate funding for implementation of the EAP at the California community colleges;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the Chancellor's Office and the CSUs to correct the current inability of the EAP to provide clear and timely actionable early messaging and create realistic time lines; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with its educational partners to develop a plan to describe potential interventions and create appropriate and specific California community colleges messages about access to and the types of interventions available for high school students.

MSC Disposition: Chancellor’s Office, Local Senates