Online Assessment for Reading, Writing and Mathematics

In order to assess online students in an efficient manner, the following policy has been established. The policy mirrors current assessment policy but also addresses assessment of students who cannot come to Parkland to assess.

1. All online students within a reasonable traveling distance must follow the normal assessment procedures.

2. All online students beyond a reasonable traveling distance must follow the following assessment procedures for reading and writing.

3.  If the student needs to be assessed for both Reading and Writing the student only needs to complete one essay.

Instructions:
This assessment is a writing sample.  A team of English instructors will evaluate your essay to determine if you have the skills necessary for a college-composition course.  The evaluators look at the essay organization, development of ideas, clear expression of thought, grammar, and punctuation.  The essay should be written without the aid of a dictionary or reference material.  Write an essay in which you discuss:

• your educational experience (especially in writing)
• your academic strengths and weaknesses
• the amount and kinds of writing you do
• your reasons for wanting to take online cours

REMEMBER:  The evaluators are more interested in how you state your ideas rather than what those specific ideas are.  It should take you about 45 minutes to one hour to complete your essay.

To complete your assessment, type your essay and mail it to the Director of Assessment in the Parkland Assessment Center.

Be sure to include your name and social security number with your essay. You will receive your results by email withing 3-4 days.

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Assessment for Reading

(Required for enrollment in all online courses)

Student reading will be assessed as follows:

• Successful completion of transferable reading-intensive college-level course work will be accepted as proof of reading ability.
• Evidence of college-level reading proficiency based on ACT scores.
       24 or higher RDG score or
       20-23 RDG score and 23 or higher COMP score.
• Evidence of college level reading proficiency based on SAT scores:
      Verbal score of 570
• If neither of the two above satisfies the reading requirement, the student must write an essay

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Assessment for Writing

(Required for enrollment in all online English Composition and for other online courses with an ENG 101 placement prerequisite)

Student writing will be assessed as follows:

• Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from a fully accredited American college or university, regardless of specific course work, will be accepted as proof of having met the English 101 and 102 prerequisites.
• Successful completion of either English 101 or English 102 will be accepted for English 101 or English 102 placement. Successful completion is defined as receiving, from a fully accredited American college or university, a C or higher in English 101 or equivalent and a C or higher in English 102 or equivalent.¹
• The following ACT or SAT scores will be accepted for English 101 placement²:
  • ACT
• 23 or higher ENG score or
• 20-22 ENG score and 23 or higher COMP score

• If the above does not satisfy the writing assessment, the student must write an essay.

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Assessment of Mathmatical Skills

Assessment based on credits earned:
Transfer credit: The Math department accepts remedial course work as meeting the prerequisite for a remedial or college-level course at Parkland. 

Parkland credit: Students must earn a grade of C or higher in most math courses before registering for the next course in the sequence. 

Assessment based on ACT scores:
An ACT MAT score of 25 or higher AND high school courses in Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Senior Math (or equivalent) places a student in any course having MAT 124 as a prerequisite other than MAT 128. Placement into MAT 128 requires knowledge of trigonometry. Students with an ACT score lower than 25, must take the math placement test. 

Assessment based on testing:
Parkland College uses COMPASS, a computerized-adaptive testing program, to place students in math courses. The test measures basic skills such as performing a sequence of operations, applying operations to problems, and analyzing principles and relationships of operations. These skills can be measured in one or more of these areas of math: prealgebra, algebra, college algebra, or trigonometry.  

Math placement scores are valid for two years from the date of testing. If a student does not take a math course during the two years after the initial test, she or he must retest. The student is then allowed two retests after completing the second test. Students who believe that the results of the assessment test do not reflect their level of preparation should retake the math placement exam. 

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Proceedures for Taking Compass Math Assessment Tests

1. Online students within a reasonable traveling distance from Parkland will complete the COMPASS math assessment exam at Parkland College's Assessment Center.  For more information go to the following link: assessment procedures.
2. All online students beyond a reasonable traveling distance must complete the COMPASS Math Assessment exam at a local Community College or 4 year Institution.  Results of the COMPASS exam must be forwarded to the Assessment Center at Parkland College by the institution at which the student completed the exam..
3. For more information contact Diana Steele via e-mail or call 217-351-2433.

¹For course enrollees who have not already sent in an official transcript to admissions, a faxed copy of transcripts will be accepted for provisional proof. Student must have official transcripts sent in a timely fashion to the Assessment Center. Fax transcript to 217-351-2581 Attn: Assessment Center.

²Faxed copies of ACT or SAT scores will be accepted for provisional proof. Students must have official score sent in a timely fashion. Fax scores to 217-351-2581 Attn: Assessment Center.