Hello,
We are looking for campus members to be a part of the Request for Proposal (RFP) steering group for the system-endorsed assessment instrument for course placement. Our current contract with our vendor, Accuplacer (College Board), is coming to an end and this steering group is designed to ensure stakeholder representation in the selection process as we formally invite potential contractors/vendors to submit a proposal that responds to the needs of the system and its stakeholders for assessing course placement. The RFP is the procurement process that allows MnSCU to determine if the contractor’s experience, qualifications, and approach will provide the best solution for course placement within our system. Once proposals are evaluated, this group will make product recommendations to the full Assessment for Course Placement Committee for possible adoption beginning in the summer of 2016.
The steering group will include several key constituents who can bring expertise and experience to determining the requirements needed for this instrument and evaluate the proposals for thoughtful recommendations for adoption of the best instrument to meet the needs of our campuses and system. We are looking for members who would be willing to serve on the steering group to guide the Request for Proposals (RFP) process.
We are interested in members who represent the following areas:
- one (1) campus administrator
- one (1) staff member from registrar/records or institutional research
Members of this group will actively engage in the RFP process which will include these activities:
- Identify the product and service requirements we have for this instrument
- Review of the RFP prior to publication
- Identify the evaluation process used to score the proposals
- Evaluate and score the proposals
- Report findings back to the full Assessment for Course Placement Committee (ACPC) for their final recommendation to Senior Vice Chancellor O’Brien.
The attached document outlines the full steering group composition, expectations of steering group members, and activities and time commitments required to serve on this committee. In addition to this call for members, we also have current members of the Assessment for Course Placement Committee serving on this steering group including developmental education and ESOL faculty, testing coordinators, and two student representatives.
Members of the College Placement Instrument RFP Steering Group should have one or more of the following (currently or in a prior position):
- Familiarity with one or more course placement testing services or products
- Experience making student advising and program level evaluation decisions based on empirical data.
- Experience evaluating incoming students’ skill levels in reading, writing skills, writing essay, math, and English as a second language
- Experience in setting up testing centers, administering computer or paper-based test materials
- Experience with test analysis and test reporting systems (web-based, digital, or other)
- Experience working with a course placement vendor to enhance the product, consult on test design, new feature requests, customizing test packages, cut scores, or placement messages to ensure that the results meet the needs of your institution or MnSCU
- Experience training others at your campus on using the course placement services software or exams
- Experience placing students in courses appropriate to their skill levels, based on placement test scores
- Knowledge of branching criteria of course placement tests
- Knowledge of cut score criteria of course placement tests
If you are interested in serving on this committee or would like to nominate someone, please contact me by January 15th so that we can arrange our first meetings spring semester.
Jessica Espinosa
Coordinator, College Transitions
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities
651.201.1651
Jessica.espinosa@so.mnscu.edu