Cal State Universities eliminating placement tests for math and English for incoming students

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno State and other Cal State students who do not score high enough on entry level math and English placement tests must take remedial courses in the summer, or fall, but they do not earn college credit for those classes.

The CSU system is now eliminating the tests.

"I think it's a good thing just for the students who don't have to waste their money anymore coming into the school and wasting an extra semester or two," said Joceyln Hernandez, Fresno State graduate.

CSU schools will put more stock into a student's high school transcript instead of relying just on a placement test.

"Frankly a child's GPA is a much larger driver about their overall ability to persist and succeed, because you're looking at a body of work that expands over the four years they were in high school," said Fresno Unified Interim Superintendent Bob Nelson.

Nelson was supportive of the move taken by Cal-State universities.

"You might think that kind of sounds counter-intuitive, but we know that when we place kids into remedial coursework that they're less likely to persist throughout their college degree."

CSU trustees announced the change this week which will affect 25,000 incoming freshmen next year.

"It's important more, for the state of California, in that, we're going to potentially have students graduating with high quality degrees sooner, so they're spending less time, they're saving money," said Mike Uhlenkamp, CSU Spokesperson.

CSU campuses will expand the Early Start Program, which allows students to take English and math courses during the summer and get college credit.

"I think they'll be okay to still take the class and still know where they're going. If they need help they'll have services like tutoring and stuff on campus," said Hernandez.

The last freshmen to take the placement tests at Fresno State will do so August 19th.