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College Course Placement Based on Multiple Measures Assessment: A Synthesis of Two Experimental Evaluations. Report

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Title: College Course Placement Based on Multiple Measures Assessment: A Synthesis of Two Experimental Evaluations. Report
Language: English
Authors: Sophie Litschwartz, Dan Cullinan, Colin Hill, Columbia University, Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR), MDRC, Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC)
Source: Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness. 2024.
Availability: Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; e-mail: capr@columbia.edu; Web site: https://postsecondaryreadiness.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 61
Publication Date: 2024
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
Contract Number: R305C140007
R305U200010
Document Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Secondary Education
Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Student Placement, Evaluation Methods, Alternative Assessment, Standardized Tests, Grade Point Average, College Preparation, Community Colleges, Community College Students, Comparative Analysis, Outcomes of Education, Academic Achievement, Developmental Studies Programs, Cost Effectiveness
Geographic Terms: New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota
Abstract: Historically, colleges have used standardized testing to determine whether a student is ready for college-level work or requires developmental courses first, but this method has been criticized as inaccurate. To obtain more accurate placements, nearly three-quarters of colleges now use multiple measures assessment (MMA) systems. These systems typically do consider students' scores on standardized tests, but they also incorporate additional measures of academic preparedness such as high school grade point average (GPA). This report synthesizes findings from two studies that compare the effects of traditional test-only course placement to MMA course placement. These studies, conducted by the Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR), involved 12 community colleges across three states (New York, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) and 29,999 students. Students were randomly assigned to either a test-only placement group or an MMA placement group, and their subsequent academic outcomes were compared. The main findings from this analysis are: (1) For most students, the course placement systems "agreed," so their placement system assignment was inconsequential; (2) MMA improved academic performance when it allowed students to bypass a developmental course they otherwise would have been required to take; (3) MMA had a negative impact on academic performance when it imposed a developmental course requirement on students who would otherwise have been placed directly into a college-level course; (4) The evidence shows that referring more students directly to college-level courses is more important than a placement system that better predicts success in college-level courses; and (5) The cost to a college of implementing MMA is small. For students and society, MMA saves money because students take fewer courses but end up with more college-level credits. This research finds evidence that colleges should consider increasing the total number of students referred directly to college-level courses, whether by lowering their requirements for direct placement into college-level courses or by implementing other policies with the same effect.
Abstractor: ERIC
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED664878
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED664878
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PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
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  Data: College Course Placement Based on Multiple Measures Assessment: A Synthesis of Two Experimental Evaluations. Report
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sophie+Litschwartz%22">Sophie Litschwartz</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dan+Cullinan%22">Dan Cullinan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Colin+Hill%22">Colin Hill</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Columbia+University%2C+Center+for+the+Analysis+of+Postsecondary+Readiness+%28CAPR%29%22">Columbia University, Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22MDRC%22">MDRC</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Columbia+University%2C+Community+College+Research+Center+%28CCRC%29%22">Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC)</searchLink>
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  Data: Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; e-mail: capr@columbia.edu; Web site: https://postsecondaryreadiness.org
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  Data: 61
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)<br />Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
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  Data: R305C140007<br />R305U200010
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  Data: Reports - Evaluative
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Placement%22">Student Placement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+Methods%22">Evaluation Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alternative+Assessment%22">Alternative Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Standardized+Tests%22">Standardized Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+Point+Average%22">Grade Point Average</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Preparation%22">College Preparation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+Colleges%22">Community Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+College+Students%22">Community College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+Analysis%22">Comparative Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developmental+Studies+Programs%22">Developmental Studies Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cost+Effectiveness%22">Cost Effectiveness</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+York%22">New York</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wisconsin%22">Wisconsin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minnesota%22">Minnesota</searchLink>
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  Data: Historically, colleges have used standardized testing to determine whether a student is ready for college-level work or requires developmental courses first, but this method has been criticized as inaccurate. To obtain more accurate placements, nearly three-quarters of colleges now use multiple measures assessment (MMA) systems. These systems typically do consider students' scores on standardized tests, but they also incorporate additional measures of academic preparedness such as high school grade point average (GPA). This report synthesizes findings from two studies that compare the effects of traditional test-only course placement to MMA course placement. These studies, conducted by the Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR), involved 12 community colleges across three states (New York, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) and 29,999 students. Students were randomly assigned to either a test-only placement group or an MMA placement group, and their subsequent academic outcomes were compared. The main findings from this analysis are: (1) For most students, the course placement systems "agreed," so their placement system assignment was inconsequential; (2) MMA improved academic performance when it allowed students to bypass a developmental course they otherwise would have been required to take; (3) MMA had a negative impact on academic performance when it imposed a developmental course requirement on students who would otherwise have been placed directly into a college-level course; (4) The evidence shows that referring more students directly to college-level courses is more important than a placement system that better predicts success in college-level courses; and (5) The cost to a college of implementing MMA is small. For students and society, MMA saves money because students take fewer courses but end up with more college-level credits. This research finds evidence that colleges should consider increasing the total number of students referred directly to college-level courses, whether by lowering their requirements for direct placement into college-level courses or by implementing other policies with the same effect.
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  Data: ED664878
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED664878
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 61
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Student Placement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Evaluation Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Alternative Assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Standardized Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade Point Average
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Preparation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Community Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Community College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Developmental Studies Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Cost Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: New York
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Wisconsin
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minnesota
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: College Course Placement Based on Multiple Measures Assessment: A Synthesis of Two Experimental Evaluations. Report
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              M: 12
              Type: published
              Y: 2024
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