Alternative to Placement Tests at Community Colleges

Prompted by research questioning the reliability of placement tests, Long Beach City College is making some of its placement decisions based on students' high school grades, and not on standardized tests, The Los Angeles Times reported. The move goes against the pattern at most community colleges of using placement test to identify those students who need remedial help. California's community college system is now conducting a study to see whether high school grades should be a larger part of placement decisions.