Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopted Resolution 07.07 S18 [1] in support of maintaining assessment tests as one of the multiple measures used to place students into credit ESL courses;
Whereas, The California Community College Chancellor’s Office Assessment Committee has not been evaluating assessments since the beginning of the Common Assessment Initiative in 2014;
Whereas, Colleges are prohibited from using any assessment instruments other than those approved by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors; and
Whereas, Memo AA 19-43 [2] (September 26, 2019) jointly issued by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges expressly clarifies that “credit ESL is distinct from instruction in remedial English; ESL, like foreign language, relies on assessment for placement as an essential component for student success. AB 705 recognizes the necessity of a reliable means to accurately assess and place language learners into ESL classes;”
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to convene the Chancellor’s Office Assessment Committee to support colleges in implementing assessment and placement processes for credit ESL which are compliant with the requirements of Education Code and the California Code of Regulations;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges request that the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office direct the Assessment Committee to review and recommend for approval assessment instruments and tools for credit ESL, including but not limited to quality standardized assessment tests, local assessment instruments, and local assessment instruments awaiting reapproval; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges request that the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office direct the Assessment Committee to develop parameters for the use of guided placement and/or self-placement processes and the review of such processes, particularly in regards to credit ESL.
MSR: Referred to the Executive Committee to research conflicts within and report back to the body and take appropriate action by spring of 2020.
[1] https://asccc.org/resolutions/maintain-language-placement-tests-multipl…
[2] https://www.mjc.edu/governance/curriculum/documents/aa_19-43_ab705_cred…