Using Multiple Measures to Make Math Placement Decisions: Implications for Access and Success in Community Colleges

Abstract

Community college students are often placed in developmental math courses based on the results of a single placement test. However, concerns about accurate placement have recently led states and colleges across the country to consider using other measures to inform placement decisions. While the relationships between college outcomes and such measures as high school GPA, prior math achievement, and noncognitive measures are well-known, there is little research that examines whether using these measures for course placement improves placement decisions. We provide evidence from California, where community colleges are required to use multiple measures, and examine whether this practice increases access and success in college-level courses. Using data from the Los Angeles Community College District, we find that students who were placed into higher-level math due to multiple measures (e.g., GPA and prior math background) performed no differently from their higher scoring peers in terms of passing rates and longterm credit completion. The findings suggest that community colleges can improve placement accuracy in developmental math and increase access to higher-level courses by considering multiple measures of student preparedness in their placement rules.An examination of math assessment and course placement in community colleges shows that many students are deemed unprepared for the demands of college-level work. It is estimated that over 60 % of community college students nationally are placed in at least one postsecondary remedial or developmental course upon entry (Bailey 2009;NCPPHE

What Happens to Underprepared First-Time-in-College Students When Developmental Education is Optional? The Case of Developmental Math and Intermediate Algebra in the First Semester

“…Further, our results demonstrate that some magnitude of students who would have been previously required to take developmental education based solely on their PERT score were successful in passing gateway math. This finding offers support to numerous other studies that have shown the benefit of using multiple measures (e.g., Ngo & Kwon, 2015; Scott-Clayton, Crosta, & Belfield, 2014). A combination of flexible cutoff scores (or bands) with multiple measures such as high school transcript information (course taking and grades) might be the best approach to developmental education placement.…”

Predicting Success in Pre-Calculus and Engineering Problem Solving

“…Another study focused on a placement test versus student's high school information and concluded that testing at the university in the first year is more useful [3]. A third study using data from the Los Angeles Community College district indicated that multiple variables are useful when conducting the placement process, such as high school GPA combined with prior math background [20].…”

“…Reisel says "the use of math ACT scores as a predictor of success in the program is reasonable, but should be used with caution" while studies by Hoffman and Lowitzki, Munro, and Zheng et al argue that high school GPA is more predictive than standardized test scores [14,31,32]. Foley-Peres and Poirier found that SAT scores were less important than placement test scores, and Ngo and Kwan indicated that multiple variables should be included when placing students in the initial math class [19,20]. Given this literature, it is reasonable to expect that ACT Math score will be a significant variable in the model as well as other variables such as high school GPA.…”

Board # 111 : Using High School Transcript Data and Diagnostic Information to Fine-Tune Placement Policy and Tailor Instruction in Developmental Math

“…Higher education scholars have documented how variables such as high school GPA and prior course-taking are often stronger predictors of college success than test scores (Adelman, 2006;Armstrong, 2000;DesJardins & Lindsey, 2007). Challenging the over-reliance on placement testing, researchers have also found that supplementing or even replacing placement tests with high school transcript (HST) information may improve course placement (Ngo & Kwon, 2015;Scott-Clayton, Crosta, & Belfield, 2014). Further, math diagnostics can also be a potentially valuable resource for math faculty and student support center personnel.…”

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