6 CAR Part 365 — Student Placement into General Education Core Courses

Chapter IV

Subchapter A

Subpart 1

6 CAR § 365-101 Policy statement {#sec-6-car-365-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-365--6 CAR § 365-101}

6 CAR § 365-101. Policy statement.

(a) Student preparedness for college-level courses is an important variable in student success rates.

(b) This policy addresses placement standards necessary for enrollment of students into mathematics, English composition, and reading based on appropriate indicators of potential student success rates.

(c) All institutions must adopt appropriate placement measures, which are supported by student success data.

6 CAR § 365-102 Definitions {#sec-6-car-365-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-365--6 CAR § 365-102}

6 CAR § 365-102. Definitions.

As used in this part:

(1) “ACT benchmarks” means college readiness benchmarks adopted by ACT based on students’ likelihood of success in credit-bearing first year college courses;

(2)(A) “ACT equivalent” means tests or other measures that can be used to approximate college readiness benchmarks.

(B) These criteria should be based on national-, state-, or institutional-level data analytics establishing the likelihood of student success;

(3)(A) “Corequisite remediation” means credit-bearing college courses with embedded remedial assistance.

(B) Under this model, remediation occurs simultaneously with credit-bearing course enrollment;

(4) “Credit-bearing courses” means courses offered for college credit;

(5) “Fast-track remediation” means remedial courses offered to students in a compressed format, the objective of which is to shorten the time necessary to prepare a student for credit-bearing courses; and

(6)(A) “Remediation” means courses or other interventions offered to prepare students for credit-bearing college courses.

(B) Traditionally, remedial courses have been offered in a semester-long format and bear no college credit.

6 CAR § 365-103 Procedures {#sec-6-car-365-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-365--6 CAR § 365-103}

6 CAR § 365-103. Procedures.

(a)(1) The mathematics, English composition, and reading placement standards contained in this policy implement Arkansas Code § 6-61-110.

(2) These standards apply to:

(A) First time undergraduate students, as defined in the Arkansas Higher Education Student Information System Manual, who enroll in associate or baccalaureate degree programs at Arkansas public colleges and universities; and

(B) Any student who enrolls in college-level courses in:

(i) English composition; and

(ii) College algebra or other comparable college-level mathematics course.

(3) A college or university may allow simultaneous enrollment in college-level credit and developmental courses.

(4) The board and administration of any campus may elect to set minimum scores for enrollment in college-level mathematics and English composition courses based on established and documented criteria, which demonstrate the students’ ability to succeed.

(5) A student must submit to the institution for purposes of admission and course placement the ACT or comparable exam scores or alternative methods of assessment as determined by the admitting institution.

(6) All first time entering freshman shall be assessed for placement into credit-bearing courses by at least one (1) of the following methods:

(A) An objective examination;

(B) Previous coursework and/or career training; or

(C) Other criteria as the institution deems suitable on the basis of appropriate data analysis.

(b)(1) The placement assessment should reflect a better than seventy-five percent (75%) likelihood of the student’s ability to earn a “C” or better grade in the course in which the student is placed.

(2) A student’s reading level should be strong enough for them to earn a “C” or better in courses that require substantial reading such as courses in the:

(A) Sciences;

(B) Humanities; and

(C) Social sciences.

(3) Using the ACT college readiness benchmarks (https://www.act.org/solutions/college-career- readiness/college-readiness- benchmarks/) as a standard, assessment measures should approximate established ACT ranges.

(4) Schools are encouraged to use more than one (1) measure, especially if the ACT equivalent is below the benchmarks set for each subject.

(5) Ideally, students should possess a readiness for credit-bearing courses and the institution admitting them should develop and refine a system to determine this.

(6) Nationally normed exams, while a clear indicator for high ability, may eliminate students able to benefit from brief remediation or refresher work.

(7) Institutions are encouraged to find effective ways to address this category of student, without requiring full-semester remediation.

(8)(A) Alternatively, students who meet standardized exam benchmarks may exhibit other indicators of difficulty with college-level work, such as a low GPA on past academic work.

(B) These other indicators may demonstrate a need for additional student support, even for students who meet benchmarks, and should be considered in placement decisions.

(c)(1) Placement plans should be adopted, and evaluated, on the basis of institutional student success data.

(2) Institutions will develop placement models that:

(A) Provide appropriate justification for student course placements; and

(B) Allow for follow-up evaluation of placement effectiveness.

History

• Codification Notes: “GPA” means grade point average. Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-61-301

6 CAR § 365-104 Mathematics {#sec-6-car-365-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-365--6 CAR § 365-104}

6 CAR § 365-104. Mathematics.

(a)(1) Each institution shall establish a matrix of assessment measures to evaluate the preparedness or readiness of students in each of the math courses in ACTS.

(2) Typical math courses have been listed in the matrix below.

(3) However, institutions, which offer other courses, which meet the general education math requirement, may add those in the space provided.

(4) Measures for establishing readiness of students may include one (1) or more of the following:

(A) ACT exam;

(B) Other standardized and normed exams;

(C) High school academic performance;

(D) Assessment of student motivation to succeed; and

(E) Other measures supported by sufficient analysis of predicted student success.

(b)(1) ACT benchmarks establish a twenty-two (22) as a cutoff score for student success in college algebra at a seventy five-percent (75%) or greater rate.

(2) However, other measures can provide equally important data regarding student preparedness and likelihood of success.

(3) As such, schools are encouraged to use more than one (1) measure if the ACT or ACT-equivalent is below twenty-two (22) to ensure that students are placed at the appropriate course level.

(c)(1) Using the ACT benchmarks as a standard, assessment measures should approximate the following ACT ranges.

(2) The ranges indicated in the matrix are not fixed but can be varied based on institutional data.

(3)(A) For each cell, indicate the placement measure or measures to be employed and the course level/course design in which students will be placed.

(B) Each placement measure, other than national, standardized exams, should be accompanied by appropriate analysis to justify adoption of the measure, such as past success rates of students with similar characteristics.

(C)(i) Course levels or course designs include the range of:

(a) Traditional credit-bearing;

(b) Credit-bearing with required lab/tutoring;

(c) Corequisite remedial;

(d) Fast-track remedial;

(e) Semester-long remedial; and

(f) Adult basic education.

(ii) It is anticipated that levels of student intervention will increase as student preparedness indicators decrease.

ACT Range

History

• Codification Notes: “ACTS” means Arkansas Course Transfer System. Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-61-301

6 CAR § 365-105 English {#sec-6-car-365-105 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-365--6 CAR § 365-105}

6 CAR § 365-105. English.

(a)(1) Similar to the requirements above, each institution shall establish a matrix of assessment measures to evaluate the preparedness or readiness of students in each of the:

(A) English courses in ACTS; or

(B) Other courses which meet the general education English requirement.

(2) Such measures may include one (1) or more of the following:

(A) ACT exam;

(B) Other standardized and normed exams;

(C) High school academic performance;

(D) Assessment of student motivation to succeed;

(E) Writing samples; and

(F) Other measures supported by sufficient analysis of predicted student success.

(b)(1) ACT benchmarks establish an eighteen (18) as a cutoff score for student success in English composition at a seventy-five percent (75%) or greater rate.

(2) However, other measures can provide equally important data regarding student preparedness and likelihood of success.

(3) As such, schools are encouraged to use more than one (1) measure if the ACT or ACT-equivalent is below eighteen (18) to ensure that students are placed at the appropriate course level.

(c)(1) Using the ACT benchmarks as a standard, assessment measures should approximate the following ACT ranges.

(2) The ranges indicated in the matrix are not fixed but can be varied based on institutional data.

(3)(A) For each cell, indicate the placement measure or measures to be employed and the course level/course design in which students will be placed.

(B) Each placement measure, other than national standardized exams, should be accompanied by appropriate analysis to justify adoption of the measure, such as past success rates of students with similar characteristics.

(C)(i) Course levels or course designs include the range of:

(a) Traditional credit-bearing;

(b) Credit-bearing with required lab/tutoring;

(c) Corequisite remedial;

(d) Fast-track remedial;

(e) Semester-long remedial; and

(f) Adult basic education.

(ii) It is anticipated that levels of student intervention will increase as student preparedness indicators decrease.

ACT

Range

History

• Codification Notes: “ACTS” means Arkansas Course Transfer System. Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-61-301

6 CAR § 365-106 Reading {#sec-6-car-365-106 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-365--6 CAR § 365-106}

6 CAR § 365-106. Reading.

(a)(1) A student’s reading level should be strong enough to indicate potential for success at a “C” or better in freshman courses that require substantial reading, such as courses in the:

(A) Humanities; and

(B) Social sciences.

(2) Each institution shall establish a matrix of assessment measures to evaluate the preparedness or readiness of students in each of the humanities and social science courses in ACTS.

(3) Such measures may include one (1) or more of the following:

(A) ACT exam;

(B) Other standardized and normed exams;

(C) High school academic performance;

(D) Assessment of student motivation to succeed; and

(E) Other measures supported by sufficient analysis of predicted student success.

(b)(1) ACT benchmarks establish a twenty-two (22) as a reading cutoff score for student success in social science courses at a seventy-five percent (75%) or greater rate.

(2) However, other measures can provide equally important data regarding student preparedness and likelihood of success.

(3) As such, schools are encouraged to use more than one (1) measure if the ACT or ACT- equivalent is below twenty-two (22) to ensure that students are placed at the appropriate course level.

(c)(1) Using the ACT benchmarks as a standard, assessment measures should approximate the following ACT ranges.

(2) The ranges indicated in the matrix are not fixed but can be varied based on institutional data.

(3)(A) For each cell, indicate the placement measure or measures to be employed and the course level/course design in which students will be placed.

(B) Each placement measure, other than national standardized exams, should be accompanied by appropriate analysis to justify adoption of the measure, such as past success rates of students with similar characteristics.

(C)(i) Course levels or course designs include the range of:

(a) Traditional credit-bearing;

(b) Credit-bearing with required lab/tutoring;

(c) Corequisite remedial;

(d) Fast-track remedial;

(e) Semester-long remedial; and

(f) Adult basic education.

(ii) It is anticipated that levels of student intervention will increase as student preparedness indicators decrease.

ACT Range

History

• Codification Notes: “ACTS” means Arkansas Course Transfer System. Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-61-301