3.3.1 Assessment for Course Placement

Responsible Position

Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

RELATED ITEMS

Minnesota State Board Policy

3.3 Assessment for Course Placement

Minnesota State System Procedure

3.3.1 Assessment for Course Placement

Minnesota Statute 136F.302 Regulating the Assignment of Students to Remedial Courses

PROCEDURES

Alexandria Technical and Community College's Assessment for Course Placement is in accordance to Minnesota State System Procedure 3.3.1.

Minimum Course Placement Scores

ATCC has a course placement process in which a student who obtains the minimum subject area test score from any of the acceptable measures, as indicated in the following procedure and is within the acceptable measures validation period, must be given a placement into the corresponding college-level course(s) when a course indicates a requirement for a specific level of reading, writing, or mathematics skills.

Placement based on ACT subject area test scores

A student who obtains the following minimum ACT subject area scores or higher based on documentation of subject area test scores on the ACT test taken within five calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year, for reading, writing, and mathematics must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in the corresponding college-level course(s). The student is not required to take the associated portion(s) of the ACCUPLACER.

Reading. A student who presents a reading subject area test score of 21 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in courses that designate college-level reading skills as a prerequisite.
Writing. A student who presents an English subject area test score of 18 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in a college-level writing course and in courses that designate college-level writing skills as a prerequisite.
Mathematics. A student who presents a mathematics subject area test score of 22 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in College Algebra. A college or university may establish lower minimum score(s) for placement into introductory college-level mathematics courses other than College Algebra and for developmental mathematics courses. A college or university may establish higher minimum score(s) for placement into a higher-level mathematics course(s).

Placement based on SAT subject area test scores

A student who obtains the following minimum SAT subject area scores or higher based on documentation of subject area test scores on the SAT test taken within five calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year, for reading, writing, and mathematics must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in the corresponding college-level course(s). The student must not be required to take associated portion(s) of the ACCUPLACER.

Reading: A student who presents an evidence-based reading and writing (ERW) subject area test score of 480 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in courses that designate college-level reading skills as a prerequisite.
Writing: A student who presents an evidence-based reading and writing (ERW) subject area test score of 480 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in a college-level writing course and in courses that designate college-level writing skills as a prerequisite.
Mathematics:
- A student who presents a mathematics subject area test score of 530 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in College Algebra or Mathematical Reasoning.
- A student who presents a mathematics subject area test score of 570 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in Principles of Trigonometry, Calculus I, General Physics I.

Placement based on MCA subject area test scores

A student who obtains the following minimum Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) subject area scores or higher based on documentation of subject area test scores on the MCA test taken within five calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year, for reading and mathematics must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in the corresponding college-level course(s). The student must not be required to take all or associated portion(s) of the ACCUPLACER.

Reading: A student who presents an MCA Reading score of 1047 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in courses that designate college-level reading skills as a prerequisite.
- Additional college readiness measures will be needed for a student who presents an MCA Reading score ranging 1042 - 1046 to determine appropriate course placement.
- A student who presents an MCA Reading score of 1041 or below must be placed in courses that designate developmental education level unless additional information indicates differently.
College Algebra: A student who wants to take College Algebra and presents an MCA Mathematics score of 1158 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in College Algebra.
- Additional college readiness measures will be needed for a student who presents an MCA Mathematics score ranging 1152 - 1157 to determine if the student can be placed into College Algebra.
- A student who presents an MCA Mathematics score of 1151 or below cannot be placed in College Algebra unless additional information indicates differently.
Statistics: A student who wants to take college-level statistics where the course is offered and presents an MCA Mathematics score of 1148 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in an introductory college-level statistics course.
- Additional college readiness measures will be needed for a student who presents an MCA Mathematics score ranging 1146 - 1147 to determine if the student can be placed into college level statistics.
- A student who presents an MCA Mathematics score of 1145 or below cannot be placed in college-level statistics unless additional information indicates differently.
Mathematical Reasoning: A student who wants to take Mathematical Reasoning where the course is offered and presents an MCA Mathematics score of 1150 or higher must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in an introductory college-level mathematical reasoning course.
- Additional college readiness measures will be needed for a student who presents an MCA Mathematics score ranging 1146 - 1149 to determine if the student can be placed into Mathematical Reasoning.
- A student who presents an MCA Mathematics score of 1145 or below cannot be placed in Mathematical Reasoning unless additional information indicates differently.

Placement based on ACCUPLACER (Classic) and Next-Generation ACCUPLACER (NGA) scores

As of February 1, 2019, the following course placements based on the NGA or the ACCUPLACER subtest scores indicate that a student is ready for introductory college-level courses. A student who obtains the minimum score or higher on either the NGA or the ACCUPLACER within five calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year, for reading and writing and within two calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year, for mathematics must be placed in the corresponding college-level course(s). Students who score lower than a college-level score must be given a preliminary placement of developmental-level in the respective discipline area, which may be revised based on consideration of additional measure(s). Students who receive placement in college-level courses may choose to enroll in developmental-level courses.

Reading: A student who scores 250 or higher on the NGA Reading test, or a student who scores 70 or higher on the Classic ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension test, must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in courses that designate college-level reading skills as a prerequisite.
Writing: A student who scores 250 or higher on the NGA Reading test, or a student who scores 78 or higher on the Classic ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension test, must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in a college-level writing course and in courses that designate college-level writing skills as a prerequisite. However, if a college or university chooses to use the ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills test as an additional placement measure, a student who scores 78 or higher on the Classic ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension test and 86 or higher on the Classic ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills test must be given a placement in college-level writing courses.
Mathematics:
- College Algebra: A student who scores a 250 or higher on the NGA Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF) test must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Geometry, Statistics, and General Chemistry I.
  - Placement into College Algebra on the Classic ACCUPLACER mathematics tests must be based on two test scores. A student must score 76 or higher on the Classic ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra Test and also must score 50 or higher on the Classic ACCUPLACER College Level Mathematics test. A student attaining the minimum scores on both Classic ACCUPLACER tests must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment in College Algebra.
- Higher-level math: A student who scores a 276 or higher on the NGA Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF) test must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment into Principles of Trigonometry, Calculus I, and General Physics I.
- Intermediate Algebra: A student who scores a 250 or higher on the NGA Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS) test must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment into Technical Math (Mechatronics), Quantitative Problem Solving, and Fundamentals of Physics.
- Arithmetic: A student who scores a 250 or higher on the NGA Arithmetic test must be given a placement of college-level that allows for enrollment into Fundamentals of Chemistry, Technical Math (Powersports), Technical Math (Carpentry), Applied Technical Math (Diesel), and Fundamentals of Nursing.

Accommodations for ACCUPLACER testing

When requested in advance by a student through an authorized reasonable accommodation process, ATCC provides students reasonable accommodations for NGA ACCUPLACER testing.

Criteria for Student Exemptions

ATCC exempts students from course placement requirements under the criteria identified below.

Exemptions from course placement requirements

Students are exempted from submitting documentation of test scores from the ACT, SAT, or MCA or from taking the ACCUPLACER subject area tests based on:

enrollment exclusively in non-credit courses, or
documentation of successful completion of a college-level course in the area for which the placement score is used, or
documentation of completion of an associate’s, a baccalaureate, or higher degree.

Students may be exempted from submitting documentation of test scores from the ACT, SAT, or MCA or from taking the ACCUPLACER subject area tests based on:

documentation of completion of a diploma or certificate, or
documentation of completion of postsecondary courses that indicates a high probability of success in the introductory college-level course for which a course placement score is required.

Exemptions from the ACCUPLACER

A student who does not obtain the minimum course placement subject area scores from the ACT, SAT, or MCA is required to take the ACCUPLACER tests for course placement purposes when a course, program, or ATCC policy indicates a requirement for a specific level of reading, writing, or mathematical skills. However, a student must be exempted from taking all or portions of the ACCUPLACER based on documentation of:

Reading and writing subject area ACCUPLACER scores from any college or university, within five calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year.
Mathematics subject area ACCUPLACER scores from any college or university, within two calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year.
Students may elect to use Guided Self-Placement to waive individual placement requirements upon consultation with an advisor.

A student may be exempted from taking all or portions of the ACCUPLACER based on documentation of placement scores from an alternate instrument, providing that placements can be determined by using the placement levels of the alternative instrument, within the validation point.

Course placement decisions

A student may be exempted from course placement decisions that are based on assessment scores according to institutionally-based criteria. ATCC specifies the type(s) of additional evidence that will be considered to exempt a student from the results of the assessment scores and the processes that will be used to make the decision. This does not authorize the placement of a student below the minimum levels established in this procedure.

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POLICIES & PROCEDURES