COLLEGE READINESS AND MATH PLACEMENT—IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? (AND DOES IT MATTER?)

Bill MoorePolicy Associate, SBCTC

Director, Transition Math Project (TMP)bmoore@sbctc.edu

360-704-4346

“Multiplying the Options” conferenceEverett Community College

June 2010

SESSION OUTLINE

Role/purpose of placement testingIssues related to math placement

testing in Washington Status of College Readiness Math

TestRecent developments, hopeful

signsReview of sample test items

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

What do you see as the main functions of placement tests for colleges?

How well do your students understand what’s involved in college placement testing (and what’s on the tests)?

What do you (or your school and/or district) do to help students prepare for college placement tests?

MATH PLACEMENT TESTING IN A “SEAMLESS” EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Placing students appropriately into college math courses

Promoting an articulated connection between high school and college mathematics

Historical Role

New Role in K-20 System

KEY ISSUES/CONCERNS

Multiple tests

Multiple cut scores

Content/format differences

MATH PLACEMENT TESTING IN WASHINGTON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION All but two of Washington community &

technical colleges use one of three tests:

The College Board’s Accuplacer

ACT’s ASSET

ACT’s COMPASS

Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions use two forms of the Math Placement Test

College Readiness Math Test & WA College Placement

Take CRMT and meet college readiness cut

score

HS Juniors

HS Seniors Complete a math course, grade C or

better

Entry to Higher

Education

Take paper and pencil MPT-G (aka CRMT), MPT-I, or MPT-A depending on college program/ math level needed

Take existing college placement test because: a) no CRMT score is available; b) score falls below “bright line” so

developmental placement is required; c) student not satisfied with CRMT/

transcript placement and is interested in higher entry math course

Baccalaureate Institutions

Community & Technical Colleges

Don’t take CRMT or don’t meet “bright line”

OR Place into one of designated set of college math courses

NOTE: Practice problems/tests available on-line (through WAMAP.org)

Not

currently

funded

Not

currently

funded

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN COLLEGE MATH PLACEMENT EFFORTS

Allowing students to take placement exams in high school

Incorporating information about high school math courses into placement decisions

Providing brief review modules to help students prepare

REDEFINING COLLEGE READINESS

David Conley, prepared for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2007

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION EXAMPLES (OSPI)

o Wile E. Coyote launches an anvil from 180 feet above the ground at time t = 0. The equation that models this situation is given by h = -16t2 + 96t + 180, where t is time measured in seconds and h is height above the ground measured in feet.

a.   What is a reasonable domain restriction for t in this context?

b.   Determine the height of the anvil two seconds after it was launched.

c.   Determine the maximum height obtained by the anvil.

d.   Determine the time when the anvil is more than 100 feet above ground.

o Farmer Helen wants to build a pigpen. With 100 feet of fence, she wants a rectangular pen with one side being a side of her existing barn. What dimensions should she use for her pigpen in order to have the maximum number of square feet?

(http://www.wamap.org/index.php)

• Web-based mathematics assessment and course management platform

• Free to Washington State public educational institution students and instructors

• Designed specifically for mathematics, providing delivery of homework, quizzes, tests, practice tests, and diagnostics with rich mathematical content

MATH PLACEMENT TEST SAMPLE ITEMS

REACTIONS TO WAMAP & MPT TEST ITEMS?

CLASS RESULTS

School Instructor Course Test Date Test Type AR50/90

Number of Students: 25

Topic No. of Mastery Class Average Students at Code Items Level Score Percent Mastery

DECM 9 6 4.6 51% 6 24% EQTN 6 4 3.2 53% 11 44% EXPS 5 3 2.7 54% 12 48% FRAC 9 6 4.2 47% 4 16% GEOM 10 7 5.0 50% 7 28% INTG 11 8 7.0 64% 12 48% ---- ---- ------ Total 50 26.7 53%

CALIFORNIA MATHEMATICS DIAGNOSTIC TESTING PROJECT