SP 9-41
EFFECTIVE: July 1, 2004
REVISED: June 1, 2015
REVISED: December 11, 2019
REVISED: November 15, 2021
REFERENCE: BP9-41, Assessment for College Readiness
APPROVED:
/ Joseph A. Garcia /
Joseph A. Garcia, Chancellor
This procedure applies to the Colorado Community College System, including its Colleges (CCCS or System).
Board Policy (BP) 9-41 authorizes the Chancellor to promulgate procedures necessary to implement assessment for college readiness. Furthermore, this procedure is consistent with the Colorado Commission for Higher Education (CCHE) Statewide Remedial Education Policy.
This procedure provides guidance for implementation of assessment for college readiness in reading, writing, and mathematics of students within CCCS.
“College Readiness” is the determination that a student has the skills necessary to be successful in a college-level course.
“Default Placement” is the practice of direct placement into a college-level course with a paired SAI support course unless the student provides evidence for college-level placement.
“Developmental Education” means courses that are prerequisites to the level of work expected at a postsecondary institution and include academic skills courses and preparatory courses.
“Guided Self-Placement (GSP)” is a locally developed tool or process that allows students, in consultation with advisors and/or faculty, to determine the appropriate starting coursework in mathematics, English, and English as a Second Language (ESL). GSP encourages students’ personal metacognitive evaluation and self-determination as a part of the placement process. GSP tools provide students with basic information about multiple measures and help them, through questions, examples, and course descriptions, determine the appropriate level of placement aligned with the student’s educational goals.
“Supplemental Academic Instruction (SAI)” means co-requisite courses, modified co-requisite courses, and academic support models that use peer or instructor study sessions, or individualized in-class academic support to improve student learning, retention, or success.
Requirement for Assessment:
Degree-seeking undergraduate students must be assessed in mathematics, writing, and reading prior to or during the first semester of their college career.
All students (whether degree-seeking, non-degree-seeking, concurrent enrollment, exchange students, etc.) must be assessed in the applicable subject if they enroll in a course that has a specific math, English, or reading prerequisite.
Exemptions from Assessment:
Students who would normally be required to be assessed can demonstrate college readiness or are otherwise exempt from the assessment requirement if the student:
Assessment Methods and Minimum College Readiness Standards:
Colleges may use any of the primary indicators of college readiness and cut scores as defined by the CCHE Remedial Education Policy. Colleges may also use GSP and/or Default Placement in lieu of other assessment methods. A student who scores at the indicated score or above, within the five years prior to enrollment, is determined to be college ready and therefore is not in need of college readiness instruction. If students retake an assessment, Colleges will accept the higher of their two testing scores, even if that is the original test score.
For students who come to CCCS as “Ability to Benefit” students, a federally certified assessment should be used to determine college readiness.
If a student, 1) has not taken one of these tests to demonstrate college readiness, 2) brings a college readiness score that falls below the CCHE identified score for a primary indicator of college readiness, or 3) has taken a test that is more than five years old, the student must take a CCCS-approved assessment, which includes GSP and/or Default Placement. Students must score at or above the levels established by CCCS on such assessment in order to be considered college ready.
Supplemental Academic Instruction and Developmental Education:
Data Collection:
CCCS reserves the right to change any provision or requirement of this procedure at any time and the change shall become effective immediately.