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Overview

The California Community Colleges Common Assessment Initiative (CAI) is designed to develop and implement a common assessment system (CAS) for the state — streamlining and strengthening student assessment and placement in English, English as a Second Language, and math coursework. The CAI intends to provide college campuses with effective and valid assessment instruments; a reliable testing platform; student test preparation resources; college research guidance; and professional development.
 
The RP Group is leading the evaluation of this initiative to provide ongoing feedback and concluding insights to CAI project lead (Butte-Glenn Community College District) and partners (Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, Educational Results Partnerships, San Joaquin Delta College Data Center, and Saddleback College). This evaluation is seeking to determine if:

1.    The common assessment system is accurately assessing students
2.    The numbers of students who retest at multiple community college campuses is decreasing
3.    There are improvements in effectiveness and efficiencies of placement processes statewide

Additionally, the CAI evaluation team is developing evidence for the Common Assessment Initiative Steering Committee (CAISC) illustrating the relationship between retesting and performance outcomes, including assessment scores and course success. As a result of this examination, the CAISC will better understand the retesting and recency practices most closely associated with student success and will potentially adopt corresponding policies as part of the Common Assessment Initiative.