Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
College readiness Test - the test format
Early Assessment Program at a Glance
The Early Assessment Program consists of several parts designed to work together to measure and enhance California students’ college readiness. Students who score high enough are considered “college ready” at the state’s 23 California State University campuses and 48 of the state’s community colleges. They can skip remedial classes and enroll in credit-bearing coursework.
The Test:
Student Supports:
Professional Development:
SOURCE: Education Week
The Early Assessment Program consists of several parts designed to work together to measure and enhance California students’ college readiness. Students who score high enough are considered “college ready” at the state’s 23 California State University campuses and 48 of the state’s community colleges. They can skip remedial classes and enroll in credit-bearing coursework.The Test:
- 15 questions each in mathematics and English, and a 45-minute English essay, devised jointly by California State University and K-12 faculty members, are added to the 11th grade California Standards Test, or CST. The college-ready determination is based on a combination of those and 45 questions from the CST.
- The augmented version of the test is optional; students may choose to take only the CST.
- There are two math EAPs: one for students who have completed Algebra 2, and another for those who have completed more advanced math courses.
- In English, there are two EAP results: ready for college, or not ready.
- In math, there are three EAP results: ready for college, conditionally ready, or not ready.
- Rising high school seniors receive a letter in August informing them of their EAP results.
Student Supports:
- Students not yet college-ready in math can use a suite of online-learning tools or take courses at their schools. Use of the online modules does not offer an exemption; the tutorials are designed to boost students’ skills so they can pass CSU’s own placement tests. Conditionally ready students retain their EAP exemptions as long as they earn at least a C in a math course with a prerequisite of Algebra 2 or higher during the senior year.
- Students not yet college-ready in English can use a suite of online-learning tools or take the Expository Reading and Writing Course, designed by precollegiate and CSU faculty members to reflect the skills needed in college-level English. Neither option leads to an exemption; both are aimed at increasing students’ chances of passing CSU placement tests.
Professional Development:
- Two courses were created to strengthen high school English teachers’ literacy instruction: a 20-hour series designed to support the teaching of the Expository Reading and Writing Course and a broader 80-hour series; a Web-based tool helps teachers improve students’ essay-writing skills.
- A redesigned course in math instruction is geared toward strategies that teach students how to solve complex problems.
- The California State University system embeds the EAP’s expectations into preservice teacher training.
- EAP coordinators at each CSU campus work with districts to help them understand their results, advise students, and strengthen teaching geared to the EAP.
SOURCE: Education Week
Success of College Readiness Intervention Hard to gauge
An article on Success of College-Readiness Intervention Hard to Gauge by Catherine Gewertz on Education Week was very inspiring and also an eye opener for me.
(http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/01/20/18eap_ep.h30.html?tkn=LNLFPhdYSdqWQbuQprV2ADQ3gu7OH%2F%2FW9TP8&cmp=clp-edweek)
There seems to be of major concerns among higher education institutions in the US and California particularly that high school graduates are NOT ready for college. I find this interesting as it has a lot in common with the situation in Malaysia. We have programs like Matriculations, Pre-U, Preparatory classes, Bechalaurette,Finshing schools and Inductions to help college going students better prepared for their tertiary education.
Some universities even go down a level to offer these 'bridging' programs to ensure flow of students into their institutions while trying hard to maintain their minimum entry requirements.
Parents like me send their children to preparatory classes like English, second language classes, soft skills development, music, sports clinics and ICT certifications just to ensure that they can have the extra advantage and college ready.This indicates that there is a big gap between high school education output and the college readiness requirement.
I can still remember my 1970s experience of adjusting to college education upon completion of my high school. There is no matriculation or pre-u program to help readiness. All I had was the University orientation week which tend to be more incline to 'freshie bullying field day'.
How i struggled through my 3 year Diploma program, with the worst score in the first semester itself and did not enjoy any moment of it except when I was doing sports and represented the University. I also noted that my first degree was easier and later my post degree the easiest!
I also remembered how some colleagues that failed in the same program later excelled in a different program at a different university.
I came to the conclusion college readiness has a lot to do with it. So having a mechanism to indicate that a student is college ready would be great. A supporting program to better prepare a students would be welcomed and appreciated, other than there is money to be made.
(http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/01/20/18eap_ep.h30.html?tkn=LNLFPhdYSdqWQbuQprV2ADQ3gu7OH%2F%2FW9TP8&cmp=clp-edweek)
There seems to be of major concerns among higher education institutions in the US and California particularly that high school graduates are NOT ready for college. I find this interesting as it has a lot in common with the situation in Malaysia. We have programs like Matriculations, Pre-U, Preparatory classes, Bechalaurette,Finshing schools and Inductions to help college going students better prepared for their tertiary education.Some universities even go down a level to offer these 'bridging' programs to ensure flow of students into their institutions while trying hard to maintain their minimum entry requirements.
Parents like me send their children to preparatory classes like English, second language classes, soft skills development, music, sports clinics and ICT certifications just to ensure that they can have the extra advantage and college ready.This indicates that there is a big gap between high school education output and the college readiness requirement.
I can still remember my 1970s experience of adjusting to college education upon completion of my high school. There is no matriculation or pre-u program to help readiness. All I had was the University orientation week which tend to be more incline to 'freshie bullying field day'.
How i struggled through my 3 year Diploma program, with the worst score in the first semester itself and did not enjoy any moment of it except when I was doing sports and represented the University. I also noted that my first degree was easier and later my post degree the easiest!
I also remembered how some colleagues that failed in the same program later excelled in a different program at a different university.
I came to the conclusion college readiness has a lot to do with it. So having a mechanism to indicate that a student is college ready would be great. A supporting program to better prepare a students would be welcomed and appreciated, other than there is money to be made.
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