Early Assessment Program Celebrates Success

Educational professionals from local California State University, community college and K-12 institutions attended the inaugural Early Assessment Program Breakfast at San Diego State University to celebrate and build upon their collaborative efforts to increase college readiness. 

“The Early Assessment Program Breakfast will be an annual event where post-secondary and K-12 educators can share best practices, celebrate student success and continue to work together to increase college readiness,” said Rosie Villafaña-Hatcher, Director of the Early Assessment Program at SDSU.

High proficiency 

Each year, the program continues to grow. Data from last Spring’s 2012 Early Assessment Program testing reveals that the number of eleventh graders ready for college level English and math has continued to increase since the voluntary test was first launched in 2006. 

Nearly 39,000 more students are demonstrating proficiency in English than when the  testing was first instituted while the number of high school juniors who are ready for college level math has nearly doubled in that same time span.

The Early Assessment Program Breakfast took place at SDSU's Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center on March 15 with a welcome by the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Michelle Lopez. Additional speakers included:

• Rosie Villafaña-Hatcher, Director, Early Assessment Program, Division of Undergraduate Studies at SDSU
• Micah Jendian, Associate Professor of  English, Grossmont College and  ERWC Statewide Advisory Committee Member and Liason to the English Council of California's Two Year Colleges (ECCTYC)
• Matthew Hebert, Director of Prospective Student Services at SDSU.

Background

The Early Assessment Program is a collaborative effort between the California State University, California Department of Education and the California State Board of Education. The goal is to ensure that the state's college-bound high school seniors are college ready and have mastered the content skills in English and mathematics taught by California's K-12 teachers.

Administered as a voluntary assessment of college readiness as part of the California Standards Test, the Early Assessment Program tests help high school students determine if they are on track for college level math and English.

By receiving results prior to their final year of high school, students can make better use of their senior year to prepare them for college. English testing is optional for 11th graders and math testing is optional for those students who are enrolled in Algebra II.

In addition, the Early Assessment Program focuses on facilitating professional development for K-12 teachers by preparing them to teach expository reading and writing.  It also prepares teachers to align 12th grade math instruction with the California State University's expectations for entry-level students.