GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
H	2
HOUSE BILL 1246
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/23/01

Short Title:	Bd. of Govs. Study College Admissions Measures.	()	
Sponsors:	     	
Referred to:	     	
April 12, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT  TO DIRECT THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE STATE BOARD OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES, TO STUDY THE MEASURES USED FOR ADMISSIONS, PLACEMENT, AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT DECISIONS BY THE CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF THE STATE'S UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, in cooperation with the State Board of Education and the State Board of Community Colleges, shall study the measures used by the constituent institutions to make admissions, placement, and advanced placement decisions regarding incoming freshmen, and shall assess the various uses made of those measures and the validity of those measures with regard to a student's academic performance and as predictors of a student's future academic performance.  They shall also assess whether other alternative measures may be equally valid or more accurate as indicators of a student's academic performance.  In the study, particular emphasis shall be focused on whether or not to eliminate or reduce the emphasis placed on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and ACT Assessment for North Carolina students as a mandatory university admissions measure and instead incorporating the State's end‑of‑course testing into admissions, placement, and advanced placement decisions.  Based on its findings, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, in cooperation with the State Board of Education and the State Board of Community Colleges, shall develop a plan to improve the measures used to assess a student's academic performance, to adopt alternative measures, or to use various combinations of both to determine more accurately a student's academic knowledge and performance.
SECTION 1.(b)  The study and plan required by subsection 1(a) of this act shall address all of the following:
(1)	Admissions. – The Board of Governors shall examine the key elements used for making admissions decisions in the State's University System. Included in the factors to be studied are grade point average, class rank, and the SAT and ACT Assessment. Each element shall be studied for reliability and validity independently and as used together. The Board of Governors shall also compare the State's end‑of‑course testing with the SAT and ACT Assessment, assess how each reflects a student's academic performance, and consider shifting the emphasis currently placed on the SAT and ACT Assessment as an admissions measure to the State's end‑of‑course testing as an admissions measure. In its study, the Board of Governors shall consider eliminating or reducing the emphasis placed on the SAT and ACT Assessment as an admissions measure for North Carolina students applying to the State's constituent institutions, but continuing to offer the SAT and ACT Assessment in high school for those students who plan to apply to universities or colleges where those tests are required as part of the application process. The Board of Governors shall also consider methods for accurately comparing the academic performance of nonresident applicants who do not have the benefit of the State's end‑of‑course testing scores with resident applicants who do have those scores.
A plan shall be developed to improve the consistency and fairness of each measure independently and as used together for admissions decisions. The use of North Carolina end‑of‑course tests as an element in admissions decisions and the reduction of the weight of emphasis on the SAT and ACT Assessment shall be part of the plan.
The Board of Governors shall work with the State Board of Education to design a plan that incorporates end‑of‑course testing as part of the admissions process. A plan shall be developed by the State Board of Education to improve the alignment of end‑of‑course tests and secondary coursework with the expectations of the constituent institutions and the State Board of Community Colleges. 
(2)	Placement. – The Board of Governors shall review the assessment methods currently used by constituent institutions for remediation placement decisions. A plan shall be developed to provide greater consistency, reliability, and validity for remediation decisions. North Carolina end‑of‑course tests shall be considered for use in these decisions.
(3)	Advanced placement testing. – The Board of Governors shall develop and implement a plan for the consistent use of Advanced Placement Test scores in granting college‑level course credit by constituent institutions.
(4)	Other relevant issues. – The Board of Governors may study any other issues relevant to college and university admissions, placement, and advanced placement measures.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Board of Governors shall make an interim report regarding its studies and plans to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee no later than March 1, 2002, and shall submit a final report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Education by December 1, 2003.  Interim and final reports of the Commission may include recommended legislation.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2001.