Chapter 6The Early Assessment Program

Section § 99300

Explanation

This law explains that starting from the 2014-15 school year, the tests for 11th-grade students in English and math might change from the older California Standards Tests to new computer-adaptive tests. The aim is to help students understand if they’re ready for college-level work, especially if they’re interested in community colleges or California State University (CSU). The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is supposed to expand so that students can get feedback before their senior year about how prepared they are for college courses.

The EAP will also update its notification system to tell students that taking the test doesn’t affect their eligibility for community college while still giving them advice on how ready they are for college-level English and math. Finally, the updates will make sure colleges use the current system to handle and share test scores, won’t change reporting rules, increase costs, and will continue to be called the “Early Assessment Program.”

(a)Copy CA Education Code § 99300(a)
(1)Copy CA Education Code § 99300(a)(1) Commencing with the 2014–15 school year and for purposes of the Early Assessment Program established by this chapter, the California Standards Test and the augmented California Standards Tests in English language arts and mathematics may be replaced with the grade 11 consortium computer-adaptive assessments in English language arts and mathematics.
(2)CA Education Code § 99300(a)(2) The Legislature finds and declares that in 2004, the California State University (CSU) established the Early Assessment Program (EAP), a collaborative effort among the State Board of Education, the State Department of Education, and CSU, to enable pupils to learn about their readiness for college-level English and mathematics before their senior year of high school. It is the intent of the Legislature that the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, the State Board of Education, and the State Department of Education work together to modify the existing EAP to expand it to include the California Community Colleges (CCC) so that, beginning in the 2009–10 school year, high school juniors who are considering attending either system can take the EAP and receive information in the summer before their senior year concerning their preparation for college-level work at both CSU and CCC.
(b)CA Education Code § 99300(b) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the existing EAP student notification system, as currently operated by agreement between CSU and the State Department of Education, be modified to do both of the following:
(1)CA Education Code § 99300(b)(1) Reassure pupils that they are eligible to attend a community college and that taking the EAP test has no bearing on their eligibility to attend a community college.
(2)CA Education Code § 99300(b)(2) Inform pupils of their readiness for college-level coursework in English or mathematics, or both, and recommend the next appropriate steps as they pertain to achieving success at a community college, similar to how CSU communicates with pupils who take the EAP test and are prospective CSU students.
(c)CA Education Code § 99300(c) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the EAP be modified to include all of the following requirements:
(1)CA Education Code § 99300(c)(1) That the participating community college districts utilize the existing EAP secure data repository and clearinghouse for test score distribution of the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641.
(2)CA Education Code § 99300(c)(2) That the modified EAP not affect the statutory reporting requirements provided in Section 60641, or increase the costs of either the assessment program referenced in Section 60640 or the State Department of Education.
(3)CA Education Code § 99300(c)(3) That the modified EAP be titled the “Early Assessment Program.”
Early Assessment Program EAP college readiness California State University community colleges computer-adaptive assessments 11th-grade tests test score distribution English language arts mathematics assessment student notification system college eligibility college-level coursework readiness Chancellor of the California Community Colleges test score clearinghouse
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 489, Sec. 27. (AB 484) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Section § 99301

Explanation

This law allows California community colleges to use 11th-grade assessment scores for advising and placing students who are entering college. Community colleges participating in the Early Assessment Program (EAP) will receive these scores via the Chancellor's office and use them to guide students on their readiness for college-level coursework. The colleges will collaborate with high schools and California State University (CSU) to improve students' skills, but these scores cannot be used for college admission decisions.

Colleges that join the EAP should coordinate with educational bodies to support students in understanding their readiness for college and adjust their course offerings to align with standards. CSU also uses the assessments to offer guidance but, like community colleges, cannot use them for admissions.

(a)CA Education Code § 99301(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 78213, the individual grade 11 assessment results, as referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, in addition to any other purposes, may be used by community college districts to provide diagnostic advice to, or for the placement of, prospective community college students participating in the EAP.
(b)Copy CA Education Code § 99301(b)
(1)Copy CA Education Code § 99301(b)(1) As authorized pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 60641, the individual assessment results, as referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall be provided to the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
(2)CA Education Code § 99301(b)(2) The office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall coordinate with community college districts that choose to voluntarily participate in the EAP as follows, and, to the extent possible, shall accomplish all of the following activities using existing resources:
(A)CA Education Code § 99301(b)(2)(A) Encourage community college districts to choose to voluntarily participate in the EAP and notify them of the requirements of subdivision (c), including the requirements that the standards utilized by CSU to assess readiness for college-level English and mathematics courses, as expressed in the assessment referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall also be used for the purposes of the EAP.
(B)CA Education Code § 99301(b)(2)(B) Coordinate the progress of the program, provide technical assistance to participating community college districts pursuant to subdivision (c) as needed, identify additional reporting and program criteria as needed, and provide a report to the Legislature and Governor on or before February 15, 2015, on the implementation and results of the EAP for community college students.
(C)CA Education Code § 99301(b)(2)(C) Provide access to the individual assessment results, as referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, to participating community college districts.
(c)CA Education Code § 99301(c) For those community college districts that choose to work directly with high school pupils within their respective district boundaries who took the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, and choose to offer assistance to these pupils in strengthening their college readiness skills, all of the following provisions apply:
(1)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(1) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall be released by the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, as authorized pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 60641, to participating community college districts upon their request for this information and may be used to provide diagnostic advice to prospective community college students participating in the EAP.
(2)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(2) Pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the same standards utilized by CSU to assess readiness shall also be used for purposes of this section.
(3)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(3) The assessment, as referenced in Section 60641, and utilized by CSU for purposes of early assessment, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall be used to assess the college readiness of pupils in the EAP.
(4)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(4) Participating community college districts are encouraged to consult with the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges to work toward sequencing their precollegiate level courses and transfer-level courses in English and mathematics to the common core academic content standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605.8.
(5)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(5) Participating community college districts shall identify an EAP coordinator and shall coordinate with CSU campuses and schools offering instruction in kindergarten and any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in their respective district boundaries on EAP-related activities that assist pupils in making decisions that increase their college readiness skills and likelihood of pursuing a postsecondary education.
(6)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(6) In order to provide high school pupils with an indicator of their college readiness, a community college district participating in the EAP shall use individual assessment results provided to that college pursuant to paragraph (1) of, and subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of, subdivision (b) to provide diagnostic advice to prospective community college students participating in the EAP.
(7)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(7) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641 for purposes of the EAP, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall not be used by a community college as a criterion for admission.
(8)CA Education Code § 99301(c)(8) Participating community college districts shall utilize the existing infrastructure of academic opportunities, as developed by CSU, to provide additional preparation in grade 12 for prospective community college students participating in the EAP.
(d)CA Education Code § 99301(d) Both of the following provisions apply to CSU:
(1)CA Education Code § 99301(d)(1) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, as authorized pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 60641, shall be released to, and, in addition to any other purposes, may be used by, CSU to provide diagnostic advice to, or for the placement of, prospective CSU students participating in the EAP.
(2)CA Education Code § 99301(d)(2) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641 for purposes of the EAP, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall not be used by CSU as a criterion for admission.
community college placement 11th-grade assessment Early Assessment Program EAP college readiness skills diagnostic advice Chancellor office coordination student placement advising assessment scores non-admissions use CSU collaboration high school coordination academic content standards precollegiate courses college readiness indicators
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 71, Sec. 47. (SB 1304) Effective January 1, 2015.)