More than a year ago, California law (Assembly Bill 705) essentially eliminated the use of assessment tests for purposes of determining placement of students into transfer-level math and English courses in community colleges. Research shows that California students are far more prepared than assessment tests have acknowledged. A student’s high school performance is a much stronger predictor of success in transfer-level courses than standardized placement tests. AB 705 requires colleges to take into account high school coursework, high school grades, and high school grade point average when determining math and English placement upon enrollment.
