Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa 1 Placement Test - SIS Integration August 11, 2010

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Review 21 st Century Maricopa Charge Discuss placement instruments in use and their current integration Current integration of students’ results Review and Background Analysis Overview of recommendation – Level of effort required to implement – Potential Savings

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain The Charge - (E23-R2) Determine the feasibility of fully integrating placement testing tools with SIS, including an automated upload of placement scores and providing a more user-friendly presentation of this information to students. 21 st Century Maricopa

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain Two Components Determine the feasibility of fully integrating placement testing tools with SIS, including an automated upload of placement scores Providing a more user-friendly presentation of this information to students 21 st Century Maricopa

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component One - Current Placement Instruments Accuplacer/Writeplacer – A web-based adaptive college placement test ALEKS - A web-based, artificially intelligent math assessment system Asset - A paper and pencil college placement test CELSA – ESL student assessment that can be either web-based or paper and pencil Compass/eWrite – Computer adaptive or web-based college placement test HESI A2 – Students are required to pass this web-based exam in order to qualify for admission into the MCCCD Nursing Program HESI PN – Web-based exam that assesses nursing knowledge required for students interested in advanced placement into the nursing program

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component One - Current Integration ALEKS – Fully automated and integrated upload of student results Asset – No integration at campus or district level - scoring system is independent and information is stored locally on hard drive in the Testing Center at each campus Compass/eWrite (Windows /Internet) – Partial integration currently in place – data stored locally Accuplacer/Writeplacer (Internet) – Partial integration currently in place – data stored remotely CELSA – No integration at campus or district level - scoring system is independent and information is stored locally on hard drive in the Testing Center at each campus; results are manually entered HESI A2 & PN (Internet) – No integration - student results are stored in a remote database; student scores are manually entered.

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component One - Review and Background Analysis Each placement instrument that MCCCD uses was selected by the relevant Instructional Council and is sold by a single vendor Contacted the vendor(s) of each instrument to determine willingness and/or ability to automate the interface Contacted IT Department at District Office to determine feasibility Where possible, contacted peer institutions who have completed a similar integration process

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component One - Recommendation This work team recommends full integration and automation of the upload process whenever possible Automatically creating a unique student record from the placement tool Exporting that record into the File Staging area Automatic uploading of placement scores from the File Staging area into individual student’s academic records Creating appropriate milestones based on a student’s placement scores When considering a new placement instrument, the ability to automatically upload information should play an integral part in the selection

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component One – Recommendation If full automation and integration is not possible at this time, it is essential that MCCCD IT Department develop a working relationship with the vendor(s) to facilitate the development of an automated upload process The research required may require some additional cost to MCCCD It is believed that these costs would be minimal

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component One - Outcomes of Recommendation Reduction of staff time required for uploading of scores Estimated savings of 1250 – 2500 labor hours on an annual basis Quicker access to scores for students Time savings will free staff to provide more high-touch services for students Reduction of errors associated with hand-entering scores Compliance with the Federal Ability to Benefit Regulations as it relates to students who receive financial aid

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component One - Cost of Implementing Recommendation The implementation cost is expected to be minimal for more than 50% of the placement exams MCCCD administers. No outside contractors should be required, since the necessary technology is mostly in place The remaining placement tools may require a minimal cost to purchase appropriate versions of the exam, as well as to research and establish appropriate integration protocols with our vendors

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component Two - Current Status Students have access to view both their placement scores and the Course Placement Chart within the Student Center Value of link is not readily apparent Documents do not use common language No clear description of individual courses

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component Two – Review and Background Analysis Contacted peer institutions to determine what information they provide to their students Contacted IT Department at the District Office to determine feasibility of providing a course- description link

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component Two – Recommendation Activate a link between a student’s score and the appropriate course description: Will place MCCCD on the cutting edge of information provided Only valid scores should be linked Clear message should be displayed when a score is not valid

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component Two - Outcomes of Recommendation A soft-savings will be realized due to the reduction of staff time required in Advisement, Admissions and Testing to address simple score and related course information that can be found in a student’s individual Student Center Staff time can be reallocated to provide more complex services demanded by students

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Component Two - Cost of Implementing Recommendation The technology and skills required to link students’ placement scores to official course descriptions is largely in place. It is likely that a modification to the current Student Information System could be made by the District IT Department providing specific course information to students based on their placement results.

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Conclusion Component One Recommend immediate implementation of a fully integrated and automated upload process for Accuplacer and Compass Maintain fully integrated and automated upload process for ALEKS if/when the pilot expands throughout the District Continue to explore and develop fully integrated and automated upload process for CELSA, HESI A2 and HESI PN, and explore alternatives that may work with Asset Component Two Immediately activate a link between a student’s score and the appropriate course description

Chandler Gilbert – Estrella Mountain – GateWay – Glendale – Mesa – Paradise Valley – Phoenix – Rio Salado – Scottsdale – South Mountain 21 st Century Maricopa Questions?