Overview

This website is designed for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities staff and faculty who are actively working on issues related to assessment for course placement.

Goals for 2008-09

1.  Conduct the system wide ACT validation study for the purpose of updating the recommended scores used by our institutions to exempt students from taking the ACCUPLACER for course placement; develop recommendations for multiple measures.

2.  English subgroup: study the WritePlacer and make a recommendation for its use for placement into college-level composition.

3.  Mathematics subgroup: collect data from each campus regarding how the number of sections of Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, and Calculus have or have not changed; revisit goals set during 2007; re-do the ACCUPLACER validity study one full year after all campuses have implemented system course placement scores (2009-10). 

4.  Reading subgroup: begin discussion of developmental reading course expectations, course objectives, course placement score between two developmental course levels, and credit.

5.  ESL subgroup: develop recommendations for consistency in curriculum development and transfer, including ABE to college/university and among MnSCU institutions; implement ACCUPLACER ESL tests; share best practices for placing and retaining ESOL students.

6.  Assessment Administrators: develop test administration guidelines; develop recommendations for high school and ABE cross-referral protocols and ACCUPLACER testing.

Goals for 2007-08 are listed below with comments about what was accomplished in bolded print.

1.  Implement minimum course placement scores in mathematics, reading, and writing. 

The amendment to Procedure 3.3.1 was approved by Chancellor McCormick on January 14, 2008. It is posted at:

http://www.mnscu.edu/board/policy/303.html.

Goal 1 was implemented as planned.

2.  Revisit ACT subject area scores and recommending a research process for validating the scores.

Goal 2 was planned for the ACT study to be conducted during Summer 2008.  The data collection process is in its beginning stages and results are planned for the committee’s use by January, 2009.

3.  Collect information about current ESL testing patterns and minimum course placement scores and recommend system minimum course placement scores for ESL students.

Goal 3 is underway with an ESOL website being built during Summer 2008 to house the collected information.

4.  Hold a statewide meeting of ESL faculty to continue training on the ACCUPLACER ESL tests and discuss course placement issues.

Goal 4 was put on hold due to other ESL professional meetings that conflicted with the timing of this goal.

5.  Hold regional training sessions for assessment administrators.

Goal 5 was accomplished with a number of regional training sessions led by Kathie Montognese and Linda Lade.

6.  Make recommendations on retesting.

Goal 6 was accomplished.  Please click on the Assessment Administrators tab of this site to see the retest recommendations.

Conduct ACT validity study and compare score recommendations

WritePlacer

Test administration guidelines

High school testing

ABE cross-referral protocols and ACCUPLACER testing