CTC Math Placement Testing and the New College Readiness Math Test (CRMT): Fall 2008 Update and Status Report

Bill Moore Policy Associate, SBCTC Director, Transition Math Project [email protected]

360-704-4346

K-16 Public-Private Partnership

Improve readiness in math for college-bound Washington students

Primary Phase I Work

Defining clear targets for college readiness in math

Funding provided by

The Washington State Legislature The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

TMP, Phase II: 2006-09

 Primary emphasis: regional partnerships between school districts and colleges/universities (16 projects to date of varying sizes around the state)  Key statewide project work: College Readiness Math Test (CRMT)  Implementing clear college readiness targets for math  Providing greater consistency for students and school districts

New Role for Math Placement Testing in a K 16 Educational System

• Placing students appropriately into college math courses • Promoting an articulated connection between high school and college mathematics

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

20 10 0

Compass Test #1: ALGEBRA (Cut Score Needed to Take Intermediate Algebra ; average = 52 )

70 60 61 61 59 50 49 62 51 59 56 51 51 51 59 59 47 41 40 39 39 58 31 30

Aligned Expectations? A Closer Look at College Admissions and Placement Tests • Heavy emphasis on algebra (but relatively little on more advanced algebra concepts) • Relatively little emphasis on higher cognitive demands • Compared to admissions tests, placements tests generally more narrow and less balanced across content areas

Legislative Directive (HB 1907, 2007)

• Common college readiness test in math for WA public higher education with common performance standard • Fall 2009: high schools must make CRMT available to high school students (subject to funding)

Statewide TMP Effort: College Readiness Math Test

• Summer-Fall 2007: develop and pilot test items aligned to College Readiness Standards • Winter-Spring 2008: field test operational versions of the new

Math Placement Test — General

(MPT-G) • Fall 2008-Spring 2009: MPT-G available as part of placement testing for public 4-years; pilot-test full version with CTC and high school students • Fall 2009: CRMT available to high school juniors across the state

Proposed CRMT/Math Placement Scenario

HS Juniors Take CRMT and meet college readiness cut score HS Seniors Complete a math course, grade C or better NOTE: Practice problems/tests available on line (through WAMAP.org) Entry to Higher Education Place into one of specified available college math courses based on combination of junior CRMT score and senior year course taking and performance

Baccalaureate Institutions

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

OR Community & Technical Colleges

Take existing college placement test because: a) b) no CRMT score is available; 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

Using College Readiness Math Test Scores

• Students meeting “college readiness” cut score place into specified first college-level math courses • Students who meet this cut score as juniors would also need C or better in senior math (Algebra II or higher) • Qualifying courses will be defined by higher education institutions (in process)

(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

Lingering Issues

• Technical test issues – Cut Score (for “college-ready”) – Courses to be included in placement set – Duration of score validity • Logistics and costs • Ownership/governance • Longer-term solution to system math placement testing

For more information related to math placement and college readiness, see:

http://www.transitionmathproject.org/placement /index.asp