Early Assessment Program

College Readiness / Early Assessment Program

Take Charge of Your Future

The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is a collaborative effort among the State Board of Education (SBE), the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California State University (CSU).

The program was established:

to provide opportunities for students to measure their readiness for college-level English and mathematics in their junior year of high school
to facilitate opportunities for them to improve their skills during their senior year

Goals of EAP

The goal of the EAP program is to have California high school graduates enter the CSU fully prepared to begin college-level study.

The Challenge

More than 60 percent of the nearly 40,000 first-time freshmen admitted to the CSU require remedial education in English, mathematics or both. These 25,000 freshmen all have taken the required college preparatory curriculum and earned at least a B grade point average in high school. The cost in time and money to these students and to the state is substantial. Moreover, these students are confused by seemingly having done the right things in high school only to find out after admission to the CSU that they need further preparation.

The Early Assessment Program Consists of Three Components:

Early testing
The opportunity for additional preparation in the 12th grade
Professional development activities for high school English and mathematics teachers

New Math Classes Offered to Prepare Seniors for Success in College Math

Math Reasoning with Connections (MRWC)

Seven Valley High Schools are now offering Math Reasoning with Connections (MRWC). This course was developed by educators from the UC, CSU, and high school to prepare students to transition successfully to college level math. This course is most appropriate for the student who completes Algebra 2 or Math 3, but may not be ready for Calculus. On many campuses this course replaces Pre-Calculus.

This course has been taught in Southern California for a number of years and data confirms that it prepares students for college math. Districts and schools who adopt this course agree to release their MRWC teachers for 20 days of training, which starts in April and concludes in November. The training has been online for the past 2 years. If circumstances allow, the next cohort of teachers will receive their training in person. It is not too early to plan to participate.

Transitional Quantitative Reasoning (TQR) & Quantitative Reasoning

Advanced Topics (QRAT)

These Quantitative Reasoning courses have been developed for high school seniors as a preparation for college math. They are a-g approved and offer a good option for students who have completed Geometry/Math 2 and are not ready for Alg 2 (TQR) or seniors who have completed Alg2/Math 3 and are not ready for Calculus (QRAT).

Both classes have been offered in the Sacramento area for a number of years with success. They are currently being offered for the second year in the Lemoore Union High School District. Fresno State offers professional development and support for teachers interested in adding TQR or QRAT to their campus offerings. A five day training to prepare teachers will be held at Fresno State each summer.

Sharon Uyeno, College Readiness Coordinator, is available to provide curriculum information, and details to help you make a decision about adopting any of these curriculum. Contact her at suyeno@mail.fresnostate.edu

Early Start Program at Fresno State

Student Success Stories

See them on the CSU Math Success website