Los Medanos College AB 705 Webinar

AB 705 at Los Medanos College Began with 4 levels below college level Math and English Lengthy conversation about acceleration in the Math and English faculty departments and changes in curriculum DSP&S had representation on Matriculation and later Student Success Support Program (3SP) advisory committees Part of a much larger discussion begun in Academic Senate and Title V grant projects about student success and achieving degree and transfer success Long history beginning in 1990s of acceleration discussion at department level – departments were deeply divided about acceleration and the benefit to students and the institution. DSPS participated on Matriculation about assessment and access for students. Our involvement began as helping ensure educational assistance classes were aligned with prereqs for English/Math and assessment recommendations. LMC previously had 37+ units for general ed for all associate degrees LMC also applied for multiple grants: HIS Exito, Stem Incubator and Velocidad grants

Multiple Measures & Assessment at LMC Assessment center provided accommodations for extra time and referrals Moving to multiple measures, inclusion of disability services referral Realistic discussion of special education academic rigor, grade inflation, and open access Long standing agreement that assessment would provide extended time but not require any disability documentation. DSPS provided all other accommodations for assessment testing. Assessment survey went through several revisions and evolution: first didn’t include student self selection to lower level: support class and paired composition/math course. Revised after students requested to be able to take the paired support/composition/math courses Many concerns about grade inflation, lack of rigor due to modified curriculum among all high school courses offered. Special education wasn’t even on their radar. Previously AP exams had higher level scoring acceptance than UC so similar resistance to placement

Multiple Measures Questions GPA is primary placement for both Math & English Questions include: What’s your high school GPA Highest level of English/Math completed Educational/Career Goal (students are given 6 groups to choose from) When was the last time Math/English was taken If the student feels they need extra help or support from campus resources – DSPS is an option students can select and how to contact DSPS is included. This question doesn’t impact their placement but provides resources like learning communities, DSPS, tutoring

Math Faculty advocated at State Academic Senate for acceleration due to success rates for students and barriers to success and retention Began designing alternate courses for math sequencing: accelerated algebra and stats path courses Initially began with paired support class with statistics; but required placement. Now allows student self selection and more paired support classes are coming soon: precalculus, calculus Overall department movement towards acceleration developed over 20 years Started with 4 levels below transfer: basic, prealgebra, elementary alg, intermed alg. Funding from Basic Skills for professional development and ongoing training Alternate courses were heavily marketed towards new incoming students during initial education planning and advising Agreement from the math department that algebra wasn’t necessary for statistics success Paired math courses require professional development designed by math department. Support class is not just more math but strategies taught by the same instructor as the stats class Didn’t work super smoothly with paired courses in registration as the math department didn’t work as closely with admissions as they might have – coreqs were a challenge with colleague and registration hang ups Students like the paired courses and request them even when placed into stats only. DSPS also offers individual tutoring which is not available through math lab. Some sections have had embedded tutors, but not the majority of math classes

Math sequencing -- before Learning Skills 81 & 82 Basic Math Skills Math 4 Arithmetic Math 12 Prealgebra Math 25 Elementary Algebra Math 30 Intermediate Algebra Math 34 Statistics or Math 26 Geometry & Math 40 Precalculus

Then… New curriculum including Math 27, Algebra for Statistics, Math 28 support for statistics, Math 29, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra in one semester

Now Most students placed into Math 28 support & Math 34 statistics or Math 34 Statistics Math 30 Intermediate Algebra still available but less sections Support class for Math 40 Precalculus coming in 2019-20. Calculus support classes under development.

Additional Math skills courses While not recommended in Math sequencing currently, limited sections still remain: Math 12 Prealgebra, Math 25 Elementary Algebra (credit) and new Math 20 Basic Math/Arithmetic (noncredit) Math 29 Accelerated Elementary/Intermediate Algebra to be phased out Math department began offering new noncredit basic math class spring 2019 Reduced sections (1 or 2) prealgebra offered Accelerated Elementary/Intermediate algebra combo was the class students with disabilities complained the most about – material went too fast, too difficult. Lots of withdraws or substandard grades and often noted in academic probation/dismissal supports Math anxiety and lack of instruction/retention of math steps reported as reasons students with disabilities want to take the lower math support classes Math substitution – hasn’t been necessary. DSPS counselors actively work with students to pair the right student with the right instructor. DSPS counselors serve on assessment committee and basic skills committees and promote universal design actively on campus. Recent focused flex on universal design with 75 attendees. DSPS counseling role

English Combined writing and reading courses Began shortening the English sequence by eliminating lowest levels Reenvisioned course below college composition Also started with paired support class Combined college reading and writing requirements in a Title III grant which also reenvisioned tutoring support and writing consultants Long history of offering grammar and college vocabulary classes outside of composition sequence. Students were regularly referred to these support classes as needed from composition Recently designed college reading course, also outside of composition sequence. Students with disabilities report this class is very helpful for their learning Students are allowed to select a lower placement with the paired support class Designing support class for 95, one step below college composition. DSPS asked for support class for critical thinking. English is considering developing the class.

English sequencing -- before Learning Skills 50, Multimodal Strategies for Reading and Spelling English 60, Basic Reading and Writing Skills English 70, Fundamentals of English: Reading, Writing & Thinking English 90, Integrated Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking English 100, College Composition

Now New curriculum developed: Current Sequence: English 95, Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking is new curriculum English 100 Support class developed to go with College Composition English 85 Introduction to College Reading Current Sequence: English 95 Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking English 100 or English 100 and 100 support

Additional English skills classes While not recommended in English sequencing currently, limited sections still remain: English 83 Sentence Skills for College Writing English 85 Introduction to College Reading

Challenges Timely data – hopefully about to change by summer 2019 Finding tutors – especially statistics Learning Skills (Educational Assistance classes) weren’t meeting student needs. Currently new curriculum is being developed by DSPS

Thank you Ginny Richards Manager of Disability Support Services vrichards@losmedanos.edu 925 473-7470