Best Practices in School to College Best Practices in School to College Alignment: Early Assessment ProgramAlignment: Early Assessment Program

AchieveAchieveCalifornia Alignment InstituteCalifornia Alignment Institute

October 27, 2009October 27, 2009San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California

Allison G. JonesAssistant Vice ChancellorOffice of the Chancellor

The California State Universityajones@calstate.edu

BACKGROUND

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Ways to Demonstrate English and Math Proficiency

SAT: 550 or higher on Critical Reading and Mathematics

ACT: 24 or higher on English and 23 or higher on math portion

AP: 3 or higher on AP Language and Composition or Composition and Literature; 3 or higher on AP Calculus or Statistics

EAP: College Ready on English and College Ready/Conditionally Ready

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Goal of the CSU Board of Trustees

Reduce the percentage of those who need remediation in English and mathematics to 10% of the students entering the CSU

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53 54 54 54

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51 52 53

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55 55

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0102030405060708090

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1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Reported Trustee Goals

Percentage of First-Time Freshmen Entering with College- level English Proficiency

The California State University

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4652 55 54

58 63 63 63

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64 63

90

0102030405060708090

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1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Reported Trustee Goals

Percentage of First-Time Freshmen Entering with College-level Mathematics Proficiency

The California State University

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Failure to Meet English and Math Proficiency Students cannot enroll in many required CSU college

classes until they meet the requirement; They must spend time taking remedial English and math

classes during their freshman year until they meet the requirement;

They will graduate later because they get no degree credit for these remedial classes;

They may have to pay additional charges for these classes; and

If they do not demonstrate proficiency by the end of the freshman year, they will be disenrolled.

COLLABORATION

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The Problem: Disconnects between K-12 and Higher Education

Lack of agreement on college-readiness standards

Placement exam standards unclear to high school teachers

Senior year could be used more effectively to prepare students academically for college.

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Collaboration

California State Board of Education

California Department of Education

California State University

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Collaboration CDE sponsored legislation to allow students in grade 11

to be able to authorize the release of their results to send to CSU as well as for CDE to release the results to CSU

CST answer document was modified to allow the students to acknowledge that that the EAP results could be sent to CSU

EAP results were added to the grade 11 CST student report (2007)

Parents and students receive the EAP results at the same time they receive the CST results on the STAR report form

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Collaboration CDE allows CSU staff to review the CSTs to select items

for EAP

CST answer document was lengthened to include 15 additional EAP items in each content area

California Community Colleges now authorized to use EAP for placement beginning 2010

CSU and Community Colleges will have access to students who do not score proficient

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Modifications in ELM Placement Test Math faculty reassessed ELM in relation to campus remediation programs

and to CSU GE-Breadth courses in mathematics concepts and quantitative reasoning

May 2000, CSU Math Council proposed that ELM be modified to strengthen CSU’s commitment to strong mathematics requirements for FTF

– By reemphasizing the admission requirements of 3 years of high school math, and

– By focusing ELM on content of these courses most appropriate to basic GE-Breadth courses in math concepts and quantitative reasoning

Continue to assess student proficiency through intermediate algebra, Math Council recommended

– that the emphasis of ELM be shifted from algebraic symbol manipulation skills

– toward problem solving skills, number sense, graph interpretation, and the skills most relevant to all students entering CSU

EAP

(Early Assessment Program)

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Commitment EAP was designed to

– better align academic achievement and expectations between K-12 and higher education

– to decrease the number of incoming college students who required remediation in English and/or mathematics

– to encourage students to use their senior year in high school more effectively

Piloted in 2003 Implemented in 2004 Administered to high school juniors

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Components of EAP

11th grade testing Supplemental high school preparation in 12th

grade available Teacher/administrator professional development Parent/family communication Preservice teacher preparation

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EAP Test

Voluntary Administered in Spring of 11th grade with California

Standards Test Contains 15 additional multiple-choice items

in English and math Essay required in English Selected items from CST and additional EAP items

(including essay in English) are scored to determine student readiness for college English and/or mathematics

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EAP Results

Students receive the CST score report, which also indicates whether they are

– College ready at end of grade 11 Exempt from taking CSU’s placement tests Exempt from remediation upon enrollment

– Not college ready yet Advised to take mathematics in 12th grade Advised to take 12th grade Expository Reading/Writing class Access CSU’s English and Math for Success Web sites for

additional opportunities to improve English and math skills Must take CSU’s placement tests

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Benefits to StudentsEarly warningAdjust senior-year coursework to prepare for

college-level coursesEarn an exemption from CSU-required English

and/or mathematics placement tests

Avoid investing time and money in college remediation courses that do not count toward a baccalaureate degree

CONTENT SKILLS ASSESSED

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What is Assessed in English

Selected CST questions are those that parallel CSU proficiency expectations, plus 15 additional items and essay

Purpose of the additional items is to better assess analytical reading skills, composing skills, and writing proficiency

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EAP: What is Assessed in Math Selected CST questions are those that parallel CSU

proficiency expectations, plus 15 additional items selected by CSU math faculty

CSU questions on CST are from State Board Standards– However, CSU does not cover Proof, Trig Functions,

Probability, and Logarithms Important topics that need to be learned but not essential

skills for success in GE math Purpose: measure depth, not breadth of content

knowledge– Depth important because CSU grants exemptions from

placement exam

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Math Content Specifications More emphasis on problem solving mathematical thinking Less emphasis on recall of formulae than current test Much of the content unchanged, but notable additions

– “numbers and data” category And deletions

– Probability, Proof, Trig Functions, and Logarithms Content continued to focus on traditional high school

mathematics required for admission to the CSU, e.g., Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II

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Math Content Specifications Revised specifications place more emphasis on

geometry, especially the connections between algebra and geometry

Greater emphasis on data analysis Smaller proportion of pure algebra problems than

on current test Modified ELM measures conceptual

understanding and problem solving ability more than easily forgotten facts and algorithms

INTERVENTIONS

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How CSU Supports Students to Gain Proficiency in English and Math

Advise students and families on how to meet CSU expectations

Provide educational tools and planning resources to help students improve their English and math skills

– CSU English and Math Success Web sites Provide teacher professional development programs Support high school adoption of specific curricula

– ERWC– Specialized support for alternative math offerings

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Expository Reading and Writing Course Developed by CSU English faculty and high school

teachers Aligned with ELA content standards for 11th and 12th

grades Structured around assignment template addressing

reading and writing Engages students in a study of rhetoric and composition Enables students to read and write academic prose

effectively and strategically

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Expository Reading and Writing Course

Increases students’ mastery of academic language Emphasizes in-depth study of expository, analytical,

and argumentative writing Deepens students’ critical reading, writing, and thinking

skills Approved to fulfill the college prep requirement for

English Not intended as an honors or remedial course

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Preliminary Evaluation of Expository Reading and Writing CourseEffect on Teachers Experienced strong success with curricular materials Found material academically rigorous and engaging Systemic changes in teaching Observed that . . .

– Depth, rigor, and intensity contributed to strong, positive outcomes for students

– College expectations increased– Students experienced increased confidence as writers and

readers– Worked well for English language learners

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Preliminary Evaluation of Expository Reading and Writing CourseEffect on Students Increased skills in reading comprehension, expository writing,

and independent thinking – Analyzed text material more thoroughly– Reexamined ideas in text– Read text with different/multiple purposes– Evaluated and analyzed strength of writers’ arguments– Read more, including more complex texts by choice– Applied skills learned with expository texts with traditional English

language arts texts Students enrolled in course using modules scored higher on

EPT than students in traditional classes

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English Success Home Page

High School Math Courses

Most high schools offer courses beyond Algebra II that lead to or include calculus, e.g., Trig, Solid Geometry, or math analysis

Recently, some high schools include statistics, but not always with Algebra II or as a prerequisite

Senior Year Experience: Algebra II Committee of 3 math faculty of ELM Development

Committee 10 School Districts submitted these non-traditional

courses for approval for senior year

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Math Success Homepage

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

IN ENGLISH

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Professional Development in English

Provides teachers with skills necessary to teach the Expository Reading and Writing Course

Reading Institutes for Academic Preparation offered through selected CSU campuses for teachers in grades 9-12 in all subject areas to improve capacity to teach reading/academic literacy across the curriculum

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Professional Development in English

Offered by County Offices of Education and the CSU to high school English teachers

Heightens teachers’ awareness of college-level English expectations

Emphasizes teaching expository text and rhetorical analysis

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

IN MATHEMATICS

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Professional Development in Mathematics

Offered by County Offices of Education and the CSU to high school math teachers

Increases teachers’ knowledge and understanding of EAP program

Examines student performance on ELM to identify and analyze patterns of student strengths and weaknesses

Increases teachers’ knowledge and understanding of options that exist to increase and sustain student math skills

Math PD - Intent

Did not include development and dissemination of a course like Expository Reading and Writing Course (12th grade)

Did not support curricular changes as in English Designed to get more students to take more and

higher levels of math No systematic and supported evaluation of

outcomes

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High School Math Courses Approved by CSU for 12th Grade

Finite Mathematics, An Applied Approach A Survey of Mathematics with Application Functional Analysis Pre-Calculus Statistics EAP Advanced Algebra Discrete Math These choices exist purely because of EAP.

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High School Math Courses

Most high schools offer courses beyond Algebra II that lead to or include calculus, e.g., Trig, Solid Geometry, or math analysis

Recently, some high schools include statistics, but not always with Algebra II or as a prerequisite

Senior Year Experience: Algebra II Committee of 3 math faculty of ELM Development

Committee 10 School Districts submitted these non-traditional

courses for approval for senior year

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EAP SCORE RESULTS

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Spring 2008 Results

English EAP

– 352,943 of 446,153 (eligible juniors took English EAP (79%), compared to 342,348 (78%) in 2007

– 17% college ready, compared to 16% in 2007

Mathematics EAP

– 147,885 of 209,873 eligible juniors took Math EAP (70%), compared to 141,648 (70%) in 2007

– 55% college ready, the same percentage as in 2007

(College Ready: 13% (19,442); Conditional: 42% (62,660)

Meaning? Overall, changes in math proficiency of entering

freshmen are minimal– 1% over 3 years

Among means to become exempt from taking the CSU Entry Level Math Exam (ELM) , percent who qualify on EAP increased from 6.5% to 8.2%

– A few more scored “ready” on EAP– A few more who scored “conditional ready” on EAP

took 12th grade math class and moved to ready

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Meaning? While percentages of students taking the EAP

have decreased, the actual number of test takers has increased each year.

An increase in “ready” scores among summative math students is offset by a comparable reduction in “conditional ready” scores.

Performance appears to have improved more at the summative math level than at Algebra II

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RESOURCES

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Web-Based Resources CSU Developed1. CSU Math Success Website (www.csumathsuccess.org) – practice tests

with personalized feedback, customized Roadmap advising tool, e-mail reminders about preparing for the CSU, student testimonial videos explaining the importance of preparing for college-level math.

2. ALEKS Personalized Online ELM Exam Tutorial (http://www.csumathsuccess.org/exam_prep) – intelligent tutor software, costs $35, covers only those topics that appear on the CSU ELM Exam

3. CSU EAP Math Professional Development for HS Teachers (http://pd.csusuccess.org/) – Online EAP math professional development for CA middle and high school math teachers

4. CSU English Success Website (www.csuenglishsuccess.org) – practice tests with personalized feedback, customized Roadmap advising tool, e-mail reminders about preparing for the CSU, student testimonial videos explaining the importance of preparing for college-level English.

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Web-Based Resources CSU Developed

5. Calibrated Peer Review (http://www.csuenglishsuccess.org/practice_ept_essays) – online essay writing tool that allows students to respond  to retired EPT essay prompts and engage in an online peer review process using the EPT scoring rubric.

6. Online EAP Status Check (http://www.csusuccess.org/eap_results) – service that allows high school seniors to determine their EAP status and receive customized advice for becoming college-ready.

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Web-Based Resources CSU Developed

7. EAP STAR Report Website (http://www.csusuccess.org/star) – website that explains all EAP statuses and provides suggestions for becoming college-ready.

8. EAP 11th Grade Portal (http://www.csusuccess.org/juniors) – website showing the importance of participating in the EAP which encourages students to submit their e-mail address in order to be alerted when their EAP results are ready.

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Resources Early Assessment Program Home Page:

– www.calstate.edu/eap Math Success Website:

– www.csumathsuccess.org English Success Website:

– www.csuenglishsuccess.org ALEKS ELM Tutorial:

– www.csumathsuccess.org/alekslink Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

– www.calstate.edu/eap/documents/eapfaqfinal/pdf California Just for the Kids

– www.jftk-ca.org California Department of Education

– www.cde.ca.gov

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Summary

EAP helps California students to prepare academically for college or the workforce

Reduces need for remediation Improves path to degree

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QUESTIONS