Use of Multiple Measures in Common Statewide Assessment Exams

Whereas, Title 5 §55502 requires use of multiple measures in the assessment of course placement for individual students;

Whereas, Recent research conducted by the Community College Research Center (February, 2012) suggests that:

• Using placement exam scores as the sole determinant of college access simply for the sake of consistency and efficiency may not be justified;
• Using placement exam scores as the only means for placing students in English and math courses results in significant misplacement of students at rates of 24-33% in these courses;
• Using multiple measures instead of only placement exam scores may reduce English and math misplacement rates by up to 15%,
• Using multiple measures may reduce the need for remediation by 8-12% and may also improve student success in college-level courses;

Whereas, The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office is soliciting proposals for developing a common assessment that will enable increased portability of assessment scores in accordance with the Student Success Act; and

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (Resolution 13.03 F11) supports the establishment of a centralized standard assessment as an option provided that the right to determine cut scores for placement locally is maintained and affirms the importance of faculty primacy with respect to the use of assessment for placement scores and the application of multiple measures;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges insist that the accuracy of placement, including the use of multiple measures, is as important to student success and advancement as the portability of a centralized standard assessment across the state; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges assert to the Chancellor’s Office and the Board of Governors that any common assessment system developed for use by the California community colleges should maintain local control in the selection of multiple measures for use in placement processes and the manner in which those multiple measures are applied.

MSC