CAPR Multiple Measures
Assessment Toolkit
Welcome to CAPR’s toolkit for reforming assessment and placement at your college using multiple measures! The recommendations in this toolkit are based on rigorous studies conducted over several years that determined that multiple measures assessment and placement—or MMA—is a better model than placement based on standardized tests alone. Giving students multiple ways to demonstrate their skills helps ensure that all students who are ready for college-level math and English courses have the opportunity to take them, which can make access to college-level courses more equitable.
Who is it for? The toolkit is designed for the person or team leading MMA at a college.
What’s in the toolkit? It includes tools to help you plan your reforms and materials to facilitate communication with the campus community.
How long will it take? Designing a MMA system, planning implementation, and communicating the changes to your college will take several months of intensive effort.
How to Use This Toolkit
CAPR research tested different models of MMA and concluded that relatively simple systems that give students more than one way to demonstrate their readiness for college-level work meet the needs of most colleges. In the Planning section of this toolkit, we’ll walk you through the process of designing an MMA system that works for your college.
But first, go to the Building Your Knowledge section to learn more about MMA. Then, in the second section, explore how to make the case for MMA at your college. Once you’ve planned and implemented your MMA reforms, you can use our resources for monitoring the effects of MMA and making improvements. In each section, we have tools for you to take back to your college to work with your colleagues and additional background reading.
CAPR and other researchers are continuing to conduct research on MMA because we still have a lot to learn. So be sure to check back with us as we update this toolkit.
We hope you find these resources useful. If you have questions, we’re here to help. But for now, dive in!
The Sections of the Toolkit
This toolkit is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305U200010 to Teachers College, Columbia University, and by Ascendium Education Group.