Foothill College recognized for excellence in equitable course placement
Foothill College (Foothill) is among the top institutions for equitable course placement and was recently recognized for these efforts, along with 56 other California Community Colleges, by The Campaign for College Opportunity, a nonprofit organization devoted to increasing access to higher education for the next generation of college-age students.
The Campaign for College Opportunity’s Excellence in Placement Awards, now in its second year, recognizes community colleges that have successfully implemented AB 705, a 2017 legislation that supports student completion rates and closing achievement gaps by requiring colleges to consider high school coursework and grade point average as primary determining factors for placement. Before the law’s passing, most incoming community college students were placed into remedial math and English courses that often discouraged and derailed their college journeys. More than a decade of research has shown that students’ likelihood of earning a degree decreases when they start college in remedial courses.
“Foothill College is proud of our work to remove barriers for students in higher education and further close racial and ethnic equity gaps on our campus,” said Kurt Hueg, Interim Vice President of Instruction and Institutional Research. “Providing students with the support and resources they need to succeed at Foothill College is essential to their educational goals and their academic future.”
This is the second year Foothill was recognized by The Campaign for College Opportunity for its work to support equitable student placement.
This year, Foothill was recognized for:
- Campuswide Transfer-Level English Enrollment
- Campuswide Transfer-Level Math Success
- Equity Designations for Black Transfer-Level English Enrollment
- Equity Designations for Latinx Transfer-Level English Enrollment
Equitable placement practices have proven to be highly consequential in increasing access to transfer-level coursework, maximizing student success, and closing racial/ethnic equity gaps.
By starting in transfer-level English, completion rates have tripled for Black students and more than doubled for Latinx students.