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Good morning! Introductions Agenda

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Questions

What do you expect students to know and be able to do upon entering college?

What would you like to know from college professors?

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Non-Traditional Standardized Testing: ACCUPLACER on the Paths to College Access and Readiness for Everyone

By Robyn EllisDirector of College Readiness and Community Outreach,

College Access and Readiness for Everyone (CARE), UDC Community College

Phone: 202-274-5123Email: robyn.attebury@udc.edu

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The University of the District of

Columbia system

6,275 students(spring 2014)

UDC main campus (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, &

Law degrees)

2,654 students

UDC Community College campus

(Associate’s degrees and C.A.R.E. programs for high school and

GED program students )

2,605 students Average age: 29 UDC Community College

Workforce Development campuses

(Career Training Certification courses)

1,016 students Average age: 35

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C.A.R.E. Goals

• Collaborate with DC high schools and GED programs to support students

• Provide exposure to college courses through dual enrollment

• Prepare students that are not ready for credit-bearing courses

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The Purpose of the ACCUPLACER Exam

For Incoming UDC system students For high school students

Assesses math, reading, and writing skills to determine placement into credit-bearing college courses at UDC

ACCUPLACER is not required for students that meet the minimum

SAT/ACT scores

To help determine eligibility for UDC-CC CARE Dual Enrollment Program and UDC

HISCIP Program

To indicate success in credit-bearing college courses

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About ACCUPLACER Exams

• ACCUPLACER Exams: – Placement Exam: determines placement into credit-bearing

college courses, computer adaptive – Diagnostic Exam: determines math, reading, and writing

competencies where student needs additional instruction; content is automatically populated in the ACCUPLACER MFL Intervention when online intervention begins

• Created by College Board• Plans to align ACCUPLACER to Common Core State

Standards • Used in 1,300 institutions nationwide

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About ACCUPLACER Intervention

• ACCUPLACER Intervention: provides students with online math, reading, and writing modules (assignments, tutorials, and practice assessments) tailored to specific needs

• Created by Pearson Education• Known as My Foundations Lab or MFL• Online intervention course = 10 weeks in length • Student should spend at least 4 hours per week in MFL• Implementation recommended with consistent,

supplemental instruction from English and Math teachers • Used nationwide in high school transition programs, summer

bridge programs, and community colleges

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Where ACCUPLACER is administered

• From 2009-2014, ACCUPLACER placement exams have been administered at these campuses:

UDC main campus

UDC Community College campus

UDC Community College Workforce Development campuses

High School campuses

For HISCIP and Upward Bound students

*ACCUPLACER not required for students who meet SAT/ACT score requirements

For all incoming students, Dual Enrollment applicants, and interested 9th-12th and GED program pre-college students

For interested Workforce students who wish to transition to a degree program

For interested 9th-12th grade students / school-identified student groups

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How students are placed intocollege-level courses via ACCUPLACER

ACCUPLACER section – score ranges

Student places into college-level courses (credit-bearing)

Student places into developmental/remedial courses (non-credit)

Reading 78 and above Place into English Composition I

77 and below Place into Reading Comprehension

Sentence Skills

86 and above Place into English Composition I

85 and below Place into English Fundamentals

Elementary Algebra

85 and abovePlace into General College Math I and other maths

84 and below Place into Intro to Algebra

Arithmetic 70 and abovePlace into General College Math I and other maths

69 and below Place into Basic Mathematics

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Student Experiences with ACCUPLACER

+ • Informed interventions needed

in high school • Opened access to early college

courses and credits • Gained confidence about math,

reading, and writing skills • Intervention provides practice in

specific skills instead of semester-long Math or English course

-• Unsure of the stakes of the exam• Did not prepare for test• Want extra practice in an easy

remedial class• Transfer students may have to

take the ACCUPLACER exam and remedial classes again

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Overview of Results

From 2011-2014, the C.A.R.E. division has used ACCUPLACER in several ways:1. Early ACCUPLACER placement testing for high

school students 2. Early ACCUPLACER interventions, including a

summer bridge program3. As an indicator of eligibility for Dual Enrollment

(and all credit-bearing courses at UDC)

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Results: ACCUPLACER Placement Exams

• Incoming UDC-CC students: In 2012-2013, 4% of incoming UDC-CC students place into all college-level credit-bearing courses

• High school and GED program students: From 2011-

2014, 3,195 students (from over 20 D.C. schools) took the ACCUPLACER placement test– 6% (186) placed into college-level Math courses – 16% (524) placed into college-level English courses– 77% (2,485) placed into remedial courses in one or more

areas

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Preliminary Conclusions

• With 3 years of baseline data, we have several opportunities:1. Assess and address specific needs in Math by

providing skill-building interventions 2. Assess and address specific needs in Reading and

Writing by providing skill-building interventions

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Results: ACCUPLACER My Foundations Lab Interventions

• MFL Intervention in the Summer Bridge Program 2013:– 25 students participated in a 10-week ACCUPLACER MFL intervention– 13 students completed SB 2013 – 2 students placed into credit-bearing courses– 11 students showed progress in 1 or more areas (avoiding 1 or more

remedial courses) • MFL Intervention in-schools 2013-2014:

– 25 students participating in an in-school ACCUPLACER MFL Intervention at GED programs (spring 2014)

– Incomplete post-testing data • 2014-2015: Expansion of interventions planned for D.C. high

schools

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Preliminary Conclusions

• With 3 years of baseline data, we have several opportunities:1. Assess and address specific needs in Math by

providing skill-building intervention 2. Assess and address specific needs in Reading and

Writing by providing skill-building intervention 3. Structure expansion of interventions and provide

supported implementation in high schools

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Results: Dual Enrollment Program• 567 9th-12th grade and GED program students have dual enrolled

at UDC-CC from 2012-2014 • Percent of dual enrolled students passing with A, B, or C

– 100% (15) in summer 2012 – 56% (34) in fall 2012– 71% (79) in spring 2013 – 84% (26) in summer 2013– 85% (66) in fall 2013

• Results from Spring 2014 dual enrolled students– 133 students dual enrolled in spring 2014 – 85% of spring 2014 applicants require 1 or 2 remedial courses in math – 8% (10 students) withdrawal rate

• Dual Enrollment applicants must take the ACCUPLACER Placement exam before applying

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Preliminary Conclusions

• With 3 years of baseline data, we have several opportunities:– Assess and address specific needs in Math by providing skill-

building intervention – Assess and address specific needs in Reading and Writing by

providing skill-building intervention – Structure expansion of interventions and provide supported

implementation in high schools – Grow participation in dual enrollment to aid students in

earning early college credits, saving time and money toward college graduation and increasing their likelihood of on-time graduation

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Reflections

• What do you find most important about these results, and why?

• What other conclusions can you draw from the results?

• What would you like for me to bring back to my UDC-CC team in order to assist with sharing information with you in the future?

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Administering the ACCUPLACER: Set up the exam session

• Host a Student Information Session to discuss the stakes and use of this exam.

• Students complete practice tests http://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/students.

• Set up a quiet testing space with computers, regular web access (pop-up blockers turned off).

• Review Proctor Script. • Provide students with scratch paper and pencil. • Allow time for proctor(s) to login to exam for each

student.

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Administering the ACCUPLACER: Proctor Demonstration

UDC-CC C.A.R.E. division can provide further training upon request.

• Demonstration: –Proctor ACCUPLACER Placement exam–Retrieve ACCUPLACER Placement exam score–Register Diagnostic-tested (and selected) students for MFL Intervention–Log into ACCUPLACER MFL Intervention each week to complete online modules in math, reading, and writing

• Follow-up support provided: -Phone support-Training videos to share with your school team -For score reporting, course placements, and dual enrollment options -ACCUPLACER 24 hour help line: 866-607-5223-Feedback requested from high school proctors