ESL
AB 1705 further emphasizes that community colleges are required to use multiple evidence-based measures for placing students into English-as-a-second-language (ESL) coursework and any placement into credit ESL coursework should maximize the probability that they complete degree and transfer requirements in English within three years.
A community college district or college may require students to enroll in additional concurrent support, including additional language support for ESL students, during the same semester that they take a transfer-level English or mathematics course, but only if it is determined that the support will increase their likelihood of passing the transfer-level English or mathematics course. The community college district or college shall minimize the impact on student financial aid and unit requirements for the degree by exploring embedded support and low or noncredit support options.
Math and English
AB 1705 requires community college districts and colleges to maximize the probability that the student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and math within one year of their initial attempt in the discipline, and for a student with a declared academic goal, that the transfer-level coursework satisfies the English and mathematics coursework requirements of the intended certificate or associate degree, or a requirement for transfer within the intended major, within a one-year timeframe of their initial attempt in the discipline. If the coursework does not satisfy the requirements of the certificate, degree or transfer within the intended major, the college must verify the benefit of the coursework to the student.
High school transcript data must be used as the primary source of placement into transfer-level English and mathematics courses and self-reported high school data shall be used if there are issues with obtaining or using high school transcript data.
Colleges are required to directly place new and continuing high school graduates and those with a high school equivalency certificate, regardless of background or special population status who plan to pursue a certificate, degree or transfer program, into transfer-level English and mathematics coursework when beginning coursework in English or mathematics. Colleges are prohibited from placing and enrolling these students in pretransfer level English or mathematics coursework, except under specified circumstances.
Colleges shall not require students to repeat coursework that they successfully completed in high school or college or for which they demonstrated competency through other methods of credit for prior learning. Nor shall students who graduated from high school or obtained high school equivalency be enrolled in noncredit coursework.
If a college places and enrolls students into transfer-level mathematics or English coursework that does not satisfy a requirement for the student’s intended certificate or associate degree or a requirement for transfer within the intended major, the college must verify the benefit of the coursework to students. If the benefit is not verified, the college cannot require students to enroll in that coursework.
For calculus-based associate degrees or transfer majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), community colleges shall examine the impact of placing and enrolling students into transfer-level course sequences, composed of no more than two transfer-level courses, that prepare students for the first STEM calculus course, to verify the benefit of the coursework to students. If the benefit of the coursework is not verified, the college shall not recommend or require students to enroll in the coursework. Colleges are encouraged to explore concurrent support for STEM calculus as an alternative to transfer-level preparatory courses.
Community colleges shall provide access to tutoring, support-enhanced transfer-level mathematics and English courses, concurrent low-unit credit or similar contact hour noncredit coursework, or other academic supports for transfer-level mathematics and English. Colleges may require such concurrent support during the same term in which the student takes a transfer-level English or mathematics course.
Additional Resources:
English Co-Requisite Information Sheet (PDF)
Math Co-Requisite Information Sheet (PDF)
Equitable Placement and Completion: English and Math Validation of Practices and Improvement Plans (PDF)
