Pine Technical College
Policy and Procedure
Policy Number: 300 REV 3 Date: 9/11/98
Revision Date: 2/05/07, 7/14/05, 2/1/07
Division/Department: Student Affairs Author:
K. Arola, Nancy Mach, Gloria Baker, James Stumne
Subject: New Student Assessment
Authorities:
MnSCU Policy 3.3: Assessment for College Readiness
MnSCU Policy 1B.1: Nondiscrimination in employment and education opportunity
Purpose:
It is the policy of Pine Technical College to assess the academic
skills of entering students in order to place them properly in developmental or
college-level work. This is to improve student success and to insure adequate
development of basic skills.
Policy:
All students entering Pine Technical College will be assessed using the
MnSCU approved assessments for Reading Comprehension, Written English and
Mathematics Skills.
All entering students who do not have prior college coursework in English or
Math will be subject to testing and placement in appropriate courses.
(Exemptions are listed below). The Assessment will recommend certain course
placements, and students will be advised accordingly. The incoming assessment
shall not be used to make admissions decisions.
Procedure:
1. All students entering Pine Technical College will take the incoming
student assessment for course placement unless otherwise exempt (see #2 below).
2. Students exempt from the assessment include:
- Students who have an associate or higher degree from an
accredited college.
- Students who transfer in college-level math or English
courses from an accredited college.
- Students who have taken the ASAP, Accuplacer or similar
recognized assessment within the last three years and present valid copies of
that assessment.
- Students with the following ACT scores from the relevant
portions of the incoming student assessment: math subtest score of at least 24;
English subtest score of at least 24; reading subtest score of at least 24.
- Students who enroll in non-credit continuing education or customized training
courses.
- High school students who enroll in technical courses on ITV or attend in a
scheduled block of courses for high school students only.
- Students enrolled in a one or two-course program of study (maximum accrual of
six credits) if the courses do not have a college level writing and reading
requirement.
3. Testing format and guidelines will be established by Student Affairs staff,
using MnSCU guidelines.
4. Courses in English (writing), reading and math will be required by the
assessment using predetermined cut-off scores.
5. 6. The results of the assessment, including interpretation of the assessment
scores and course recommendations, will be presented individually or in groups
by student affairs advisors
7. Advisors will use the assessment results to recommend courses for students as
they register for classes.
8. Starting Spring 07 there will be a prepaid $5.00 per assessment re-test fee
(i.e. Reading $5, Writing $5 and Math $5). Fees collected will be credited back
into Disability Services cost center to offset the cost of the cost of
assessments.
9. Students who wish to retake all or a portion of the assessment must wait at
least two weeks to retest. It is recommended that students retest only after
they have done a
thorough review of the subject matter being tested.
10. Students requesting an additional retest must wait at minimum 6 months
before retesting. Exceptions are handled through the petition process.
11. If a student calls on the telephone and requests a retest, the student will
be referred to an advisor for retest approval.
12. All retests will be pre-approved by an advisor.
13. When an advisor sets up and approves a retest it will be initialed by the
advisor in the assessment schedule binder.
14. Students whose test scores are over three years old must retake the
assessment, if the coursework taken is not reflective of their skill level.
Responsibilities:
1. It is the responsibility of the Dean of Student Affairs to insure the
incoming student assessment process is implemented in a fair, equitable and
nondiscriminatory manner.
2. All Student Affairs staff, academic advisors and other faculty will insure
that their roles in the assessment policy will be carried out in a fair,
equitable and nondiscriminatory manner.
Dissemination:
Upon approval, this policy will be posted to the PTC Web site, incorporated into
the college catalog, student handbook and other appropriate communication forms,
and distributed to staff working in areas covered by this policy.
Approved by Leadership Team: 10/26/98, 5/7/01
Approved by Faculty Senate: 10/14/98, 5/9/01
Revision Approved by Leadership Team: 7/25/05; 2/05/07
Revision Approved by Faculty Shared Governance: 10/11/05; 4/11/07
Approved: Date: