(a) (1) Commencing with the 2014-15 school year and for
purposes of the Early Assessment Program established by this chapter,
the California Standards Test and the augmented California Standards
Tests in English language arts and mathematics may be replaced with
the grade 11 consortium computer-adaptive assessments in English
language arts and mathematics.
(2) The Legislature finds and declares that in 2004, the
California State University (CSU) established the Early Assessment
Program (EAP), a collaborative effort among the State Board of
Education, the State Department of Education, and CSU, to enable
pupils to learn about their readiness for college-level English and
mathematics before their senior year of high school. It is the intent
of the Legislature that the office of the Chancellor of the
California Community Colleges, the office of the Chancellor of the
California State University, the State Board of Education, and the
State Department of Education work together to modify the existing
EAP to expand it to include the California Community Colleges (CCC)
so that, beginning in the 2009-10 school year, high school juniors
who are considering attending either system can take the EAP and
receive information in the summer before their senior year concerning
their preparation for college-level work at both CSU and CCC.
(b) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the existing EAP
student notification system, as currently operated by agreement
between CSU and the State Department of Education, be modified to do
both of the following:
(1) Reassure pupils that they are eligible to attend a community
college and that taking the EAP test has no bearing on their
eligibility to attend a community college.
(2) Inform pupils of their readiness for college-level coursework
in English or mathematics, or both, and recommend the next
appropriate steps as they pertain to achieving success at a community
college, similar to how CSU communicates with pupils who take the
EAP test and are prospective CSU students.
(c) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the EAP be
modified to include all of the following requirements:
(1) That the participating community college districts utilize the
existing EAP secure data repository and clearinghouse for test score
distribution of the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641.
(2) That the modified EAP not affect the statutory reporting
requirements provided in Section 60641, or increase the costs of
either the assessment program referenced in Section 60640 or the
State Department of Education.
(3) That the modified EAP be titled the "Early Assessment Program."
(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 78213, the
individual grade 11 assessment results, as referenced in Section
60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, in addition to
any other purposes, may be used by community college districts to
provide diagnostic advice to, or for the placement of, prospective
community college students participating in the EAP.
(b) (1) As authorized pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph
(3) of subdivision (a) of Section 60641, the individual assessment
results, as referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned
successor assessment, shall be provided to the office of the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
(2) The office of the Chancellor of the California Community
Colleges shall coordinate with community college districts that
choose to voluntarily participate in the EAP as follows, and, to the
extent possible, shall accomplish all of the following activities
using existing resources:
(A) Encourage community college districts to choose to voluntarily
participate in the EAP and notify them of the requirements of
subdivision (c), including the requirements that the standards
utilized by CSU to assess readiness for college-level English and
mathematics courses, as expressed in the assessment referenced in
Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall
also be used for the purposes of the EAP.
(B) Coordinate the progress of the program, provide technical
assistance to participating community college districts pursuant to
subdivision (c) as needed, identify additional reporting and program
criteria as needed, and provide a report to the Legislature and
Governor on or before February 15, 2015, on the implementation and
results of the EAP for community college students.
(C) Provide access to the individual assessment results, as
referenced in Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor
assessment, to participating community college districts.
(c) For those community college districts that choose to work
directly with high school pupils within their respective district
boundaries who took the assessment, as referenced in Section 60641,
or a standards-aligned successor assessment, and choose to offer
assistance to these pupils in strengthening their college readiness
skills, all of the following provisions apply:
(1) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in
Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, shall be
released by the office of the Chancellor of the California Community
Colleges, as authorized pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3)
of subdivision (a) of Section 60641, to participating community
college districts upon their request for this information and may be
used to provide diagnostic advice to prospective community college
students participating in the EAP.
(2) Pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision
(b), the same standards utilized by CSU to assess readiness shall
also be used for purposes of this section.
(3) The assessment, as referenced in Section 60641, and utilized
by CSU for purposes of early assessment, or a standards-aligned
successor assessment, shall be used to assess the college readiness
of pupils in the EAP.
(4) Participating community college districts are encouraged to
consult with the Academic Senate for the California Community
Colleges to work toward sequencing their precollegiate level courses
and transfer-level courses in English and mathematics to the common
core academic content standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605.8.
(5) Participating community college districts shall identify an
EAP coordinator and shall coordinate with CSU campuses and schools
offering instruction in kindergarten and any of grades 1 to 12,
inclusive, in their respective district boundaries on EAP-related
activities that assist pupils in making decisions that increase their
college readiness skills and likelihood of pursuing a postsecondary
education.
(6) In order to provide high school pupils with an indicator of
their college readiness, a community college district participating
in the EAP shall use individual assessment results provided to that
college pursuant to paragraph (1) of, and subparagraph (C) of
paragraph (2) of, subdivision (b) to provide diagnostic advice to
prospective community college students participating in the EAP.
(7) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in
Section 60641 for purposes of the EAP, or a standards-aligned
successor assessment, shall not be used by a community college as a
criterion for admission.
(8) Participating community college districts shall utilize the
existing infrastructure of academic opportunities, as developed by
CSU, to provide additional preparation in grade 12 for prospective
community college students participating in the EAP.
(d) Both of the following provisions apply to CSU:
(1) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in
Section 60641, or a standards-aligned successor assessment, as
authorized pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of
subdivision (a) of Section 60641, shall be released to, and, in
addition to any other purposes, may be used by, CSU to provide
diagnostic advice to, or for the placement of, prospective CSU
students participating in the EAP.
(2) The individual results of the assessment, as referenced in
Section 60641 for purposes of the EAP, or a standards-aligned
successor assessment, shall not be used by CSU as a criterion for
admission.