Despite evidence suggesting that standardized tests are an imperfect measure of academic readiness, many community colleges across the country rely on them alone to determine student course placement. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced campuses to transition to remote operations in spring 2020, proctoring in-person placement tests became…

How should colleges determine whether students are placed into developmental or college-level courses? Each year, colleges place millions of students into developmental math and English courses upon enrollment. To do so, colleges most often use a high-stakes placement test, which numerous research studies have shown to be highly inaccurate in…

An emphasis on instruction has been growing in libraries as a result of the cumbersome amount of information that is produced and available globally. This, coupled with the growing diverse student populations and the demand for higher education, has created the need for students entering the workforce who can think critically, adapt quickly and…

This report presents an analysis of the University's evaluation of its Academic Preparation and Educational Partnership Programs. Three recommendations are made for strengthening the evaluation processes in the future: (1) For academic preparation programs that have scholastic selection criteria, it is recommended that the University strengthen…

This document is a compendium of information from 34 colleges and universities on freshman seminar/student success courses and their outcomes and how institutions are evaluating and reporting on these programs. Freshman seminars or success courses are courses for entering students that aim to ease the student's transition to the college…

The Community College of Vermont (CCV) initiated a three-year Integrated Service Team (IST) Project to develop, test, and evaluate a model for learner needs assessment that incorporated institutional collaboration among postsecondary institutions in Vermont. Graduate student interns and faculty representatives from state and community colleges…

The value of a statewide analytical perspective to the institutional program review process is discussed. This perspective can also assist in answering the questions of how declining resources can be distributed within and among institutions. The analytical approach was developed in order to provide background information that can be used both by…

A variety of general education programs and evaluation approaches are described, with a focus on assessments of student attitudes and achievement. The introductory essay by Jerry G. Gaff, "A Practical Approach to Evaluation," presents a three-step evaluation approach, as well as suggestions for general education program directors, deans,…

Case studies that describe the attempts of three colleges to improve institutional academic and program planning are presented. The institutions--Willamette University, Lorain County (Ohio) Community College (LCCC), and Ohio University--attempted to adapt and implement the planning process described in "A Handbook for Institutional Academic…

Jersey City State College (New Jersey) developed a local evaluation model to assess all salient aspects of the institution's basic skills program. The college's Academic Foundations Program was implemented to address the needs of urban educationally disadvantaged students. It includes faculty and staff development and research, freshman course…

Guidelines for evaluating postsecondary career education programs in Maryland are provided. The basis for the evaluation system self-study design is a model developed by Malcolm Provus and described in "Educational Evaluation: New Roles, New Means, The Sixty-eight Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part II." The…

Recent college assessment initiatives of the federal government, regional accrediting associations, state systems of higher education, and higher education institutions are examined. The goals and strategies of existing college assessment programs are also considered. The following issues related to developing and implementing college assessment…

A study of five state colleges and universities investigated the design and impact of administrator evaluation programs. Effects on individual administrators' performance and on organizational performance, as well as positive and negative program characteristics, are examined. (MSE)

This report describes the model used by the Oregon State System for Higher Education to assess the impact of higher education on the growth and change in students as a result of participation in higher education. The model prescribes assessments of general knowledge and abilities, learning environment, major field knowledge, degree completion,…

Fitchburg State College's Assessment Week and Annual Development Day are described in this report. Developed in 1976 at this Massachusetts liberal arts college, Assessment Week involves a gathering of the community to discuss pressing issues and future directions. It occurs every 10 years and consists of a 4-day, in-house conference having…