Whereas, California Education Code §66010.4 (a)(2)(A) stipulates that community colleges shall offer “remedial instruction for those in need of it”;
Whereas, Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites and standards or policies regarding student preparation and success fall under the purview of local academic senates as academic and professional matters per Title 5 §53200, and as such administrators should defer to the expertise of discipline faculty and the academic senate to develop placement models that comply with all legal requirements, and that may include some courses in remediation for students who need it;
Whereas, AB 705 (Irwin, 2017) states that “‘assessment’ means the process of gathering information about a student regarding the student’s study skills, English language proficiency, computational skills, aptitudes, goals, learning skills, career aspirations, academic performance, and need for special services. Assessment methods may include, but not necessarily be limited to, interviews, standardized tests, attitude surveys, vocational or career aptitude and interest inventories, high school or postsecondary transcripts, specialized certificates or licenses, educational histories, and other measures of performance,” thus an assessment instrument used along with other measures for assisting students will help students make informed decisions regarding how to begin and successfully complete their mathematics, reading, writing, and/or English as a Second Language (ESL) sequences; and
Whereas, California Education Code §78213 2(c) stipulates that “The Board of Governors shall establish an advisory committee to review and make recommendations concerning all assessment instruments used by districts and colleges” as one component of a multiple measures placement model;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and other stakeholders to ensure the right and responsibility of local academic senates to work with discipline faculty to use appropriate assessment instruments, as part of a multiple measures placement process, to help students make informed decisions as to how to begin and complete their mathematics, reading, writing, and/or English as a Second Language (ESL) sequences;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges assert the right and responsibility of individual California community colleges to make the local decisions to continue to offer appropriate classes below transfer level in mathematics, reading, writing, and ESL for those students who prefer to take a more measured approach to their education or need some remediation to ensure success at the transfer level; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges request that the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office convene the Chancellor’s Office Assessment Workgroup required by Title 5 §78213 2(c) and rely primarily upon recommendations of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.
Acclamation