Modernizing College Course Placement by Using Multiple Measures

When colleges overwhelmingly moved to remote learning and work in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the capacity to run proctored placement tests was significantly reduced. The Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness examined how four states — Indiana, Virginia, Texas, and Washington — took system-level actions to overcome the limitations of multiple measures assessment and find new ways to place students. By decreasing reliance on standardized assessments, state systems can help institutions to reduce disparities in student outcomes and improve student success.

This is the second iteration of an annual study done in collaboration with the Strong Start to Finish Network, through funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to uncover how the adoption of new policies and practices has reduced the amount of time students have spent in developmental education courses. The findings within this iteration seek to understand the trends and advancements made by institutions, practitioners and providers in the space along the spectrum of policy innovation. Specifically, we see the developmental education reform movement at a tipping point as the field shifts from adopting policy to implementation at scale of new practices.

Strong Start to finish supports change at scale by incubating the development and promoting the dissemination of actionable, evidence-based policy and practice about student entry to and success in their initial year of college to bring equity to education. The SSTF Solutions Network depends on the cooperation and support of nationally recognized education organizations and university-based institutes. The network utilizes 2020’s Core Principles for Transforming Remediation within a Comprehensive Student Success Strategy as its principle document to frame the mission of the network, as well as the resources and services to be provided. The purpose of this menu is to be a guide for intermediaries to articulate the most pressing needs and desired outcomes related to developmental education reform at their institutions.