Test-only placement systems are associated with inaccurate placement determinations that can perpetuate college achievement gaps by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES). In response to the pitfalls of traditional, test-only placement systems, colleges across the country are increasingly experimenting with and adopting alternative…

Assembly Bill 705 (AB 705) sought to increase successful completion of transfer-level math and English courses by addressing systemic problems in traditional placement policies and curricular structures. The law requires colleges to maximize the probability that students who enroll in credit English as a second language (ESL) courses complete…

These technical appendices are for the report, "English as a Second Language at California's Community Colleges: An Early Examination of AB 705 Reforms." Assembly Bill 705 (AB 705 Irwin) sought to increase successful completion of transfer-level math and English courses by addressing systemic problems in traditional placement policies…

Transitioning Learners to Calculus in Community Colleges (TLC3) is a research project aimed at transforming institutional approaches to matriculating underrepresented racial minority (URM) students into and through Calculus II in the nation's 1,023 public associate degree-granting institutions (community colleges). The broader goal of the TLC3…

How do we determine if incoming students are ready for college-level work? California's community college system is currently working to address this complex question in a more nuanced, comprehensive, and equitable way. This research brief offers insights that can inform these efforts resulting from the Student Transcript-Enhanced Placement Study…

Having garnered national attention, high failure rates in developmental education present a significant barrier to state and national policymakers' goals of increasing the percentage of adults who earn a college credential. However, a majority of the research fails to consider why students place into developmental education. This piece examines a…

Increasing the number of young people who attain postsecondary credentials has become one of the primary educational objectives of the 2010s. While low college success rates are typically linked to students' lack of academic preparation for college and their subsequent need for developmental or remedial instruction, research suggests that even…

A follow-up study was conducted of students who graduated from LaGuardia Community College (LCC) in 1980 to provide information on graduates entering the labor market, industries employing LCC's graduates, salary data, transfer information, and LCC's graduates compared to those of other institutions. Questionnaires were mailed to each of the 824…

LaGuardia Community College (LCC) awarded associate degrees to 902 graduates in the class of 1981, an increase of 78 graduates from 1980. Each graduate was mailed a questionnaire shortly after graduation, requesting information on employment, salaries, and transfer to senior institutions. Responses from 618 (68.5%) of the graduates revealed: (1)…

A study was conducted at LaGuardia Community College (LCC) to gather information on 1982 graduates entering the labor market, which industries were hiring graduates, salary data, transfer information, and comparison of LaGuardia graduates to those of comparable institutions. Questionnaires mailed to all 835 members of the class of 1982, telephone…

A follow-up study was conducted of 922 graduates who were awarded associate degrees from LaGuardia Community College (LCC) in 1983. Questionnaires were sent to all of the graduates and responses were received from 417 (45.2%). Study findings, based on these responses and Admissions Office data on 118 transfer students, included the following: (1)…

This resource guide provides practical information to educators directly involved with vocational education for the limited-English-proficient (LEP) population. Part I describes the nine major features of promising vocational education programs for LEP students: program approach, program duration, institutional support, staff commitment,…

Describes a study which sought to determine whether students would be able to identify the gender and ethnicity of the writer of an essay placement test based on the writer's handwriting and the content of the paper. The student-readers were able to guess the writers' gender 87.6 percent of the time and ethnicity 47.9 percent of the time. (DMM)

The Arizona Vocational Education Act of 1982 established countywide planning councils composed of representatives of secondary schools, community colleges, proprietary schools, employment and training, government, business and industry to coordinate the vocational education planning process. This progress report reviews the councils'…

In 1981, a survey was conducted to determine the methods used in Arizona community colleges to place students in English composition courses. Questionnaires concerning placement practices were sent to 32 community college administrators, and 21 usable responses were returned. Study findings included the following: (1) while no college required an…