ACCUPLACER

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ACCUPLACER

• New Mexico
• Higher Education Department
• July 14, 2008
• Albuquerque, NM

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ACCUPLACERs Goal

• Revealing Potential and Expanding Opportunity
• through the accurate assessment of knowledge and
  skills of the incoming student and the support of
  placement and advisement

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Accuplacer BackgroundFirst Computer Adaptive
Test

• 1986 - DOS version introduced
• 1995 - Windows version
• 1999 - ACCUPLACER? OnLine
• 2000 - WritePlacer Plus
• 2002 - WritePlacer ESL ESL Listening
• 2007 - New Platform Released
• 2009 i3 Launch w/updated WritePlacer Plus and
  WritePlacer ESL

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Accuplacer Users

• Over 1300 institutions of higher and secondary
  education
• Over 5.8 million units utilized in 06-07
• Various user institutions
• 49-- 2 year
• 37-- 4 year
• 14 -- high school partners
• Used in every state and several foreign countries
  

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Accuplacer Students

• Entering college students
• ESL/ELL student populations
• High school juniors and seniors (INTERVENTION)
• Distance education students
• ABE programs
• Workforce development partners (RECRUITMENT
  PLANNING)

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Tests Available

• GENERAL
• Reading Comprehension (20/236)
• Sentence Skills (20/230)
• Arithmetic (17/481)
• Elementary Algebra (12/630)
• College Level Math (20/302)
• WritePlacer Plus (1/11)
• WritePlacer Texas (1/11)

• ACCUPLACER ESL
• ESL Reading Skills (20/361)
• ESL Sentence Meaning (20/311)
• ESL Language Usage (20/318)
• ESL Listening (20/192)
• WritePlacer ESL (1/3)
• SUPPLEMENTARY
• Arithmetic (18)
• Elementary Algebra (18)

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Available Formats

• COMPANION
• Paper and pencil
• Braille
• Large print
• Audio cassette

• ONLINE
• General
• ESL/ELL
• Supplementary skills modules

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Top Five Reasons

• Computerized Adaptive Testing Format
• Internet-based
• Immediate Results
• Multi-faceted
• Institutionally Personalized

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Computer-Adaptive Testing
Typical Pattern of Student Responses
Increased Difficulty

• Score is calculated and the next best item is
  selected based on Difficulty
  Content Test Specifications

Middle Difficulty
Decreased Difficulty
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(No Transcript)
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Multi-Faceted

• One program multiple levels and multiple tests
• Entire system can be utilized to meet individual
  needs
• User-friendly system base operation same
  throughout

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Institutionally Personalized

• Set-up and organization
• Welcome page, report message, and student
  directions
• Background question selection (local and
  standard)
• Establishment of placement scores related to
  student success strategies
• Determination of report format and uploading
• Branching profiles and exam delivery

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Branching Example AInstitutional Preference
Arithmetic
Elementary Algebra
College Level Math
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Branching Example BTest Scores
PLACEMENT
20-120
College Level Math
91-120
Elementary Algebra
70-90
PLACEMENT
20-69
Arithmetic
20-59
Arithmetic Supplementary NON-PLACEMENT
20-120
PLACEMENT
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Branching Example CBackground Question
Reading Comprehension
ESL Reading
Yes
No
Is English your first language?
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Reporting Features

• Instant access - any time, any place
• Individual student score reports
• Course placements
• Score rosters
• Background reports
• Downloadable to campus database
• Captures remote testing scores

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Admitted Class Evaluation Service(ACES)

• Free online validity service for ACCUPLACER users
• Validates the use of a test score for placement
  into a given course
• Helps translate test scores into probability of
  success in a specific course at a specific
  institution/state system
• Benefits the institution and the individual
  student
• Results within 8-12 weeks

• Provides probability tables for cut scores and a
  course grade of B or higher/a course grade of C
  or higher
• Presents non-technical analyses of student data
  with interpretive text that highlights key
  findings
• Can be shared with policy makers with
  documentation that supports placement decisions
  at a specific institution or within a system

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Contact Information

• Chantel Reynolds
• Higher Education Assessment Manager
• 512-721-1845
• creynolds_at_collegeboard.org