Placement Reform
The Scholarship about assessment for placement is extensive and notoriously ambiguous. Foremost among the questions that continue to be unresolved in this scholarship is this one: Is a writing sample necessary for "accurate placement"? Using a robust data sample of student assessment essays and ACCUPLACER test scores, we put this question to the test.
Recently, two-year colleges have witnessed broad reforms to developmental education, instituted partly by state legislatures, partly by faculty and administrators, and partly by non-profit organizations such as Achieving the Dream. These reforms are intended to improve student success.
ABSTRACT: Recent research on entering college student assessment instruments and placement practices has been critical. Critics suggest that commonly used assessment instruments are inaccurate, misused, and lack predictive validity. This article describes valid criticisms and appropriate uses of assessment instruments.