1. Los Medanos College
AB 705 Webinar

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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 Calculus support classes under development.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Thank you
Ginny Richards Manager of Disability Support Services