The voluntary EAP English is an augmented version of the Grade 11 English Language Arts California Standards Test (CST) that the vast majority of California 11th graders take. If students do well enough they are exempted from taking a placement test in English should they enroll at a California State University campus or at a growing number of California Community Colleges. Other participants get an early signal that they should spend their senior year in high school improving their English skills prior to undertaking college level course work.

The EAP English adds 15 additional items and an essay to the Grade 11 English Language Arts CST. For the purpose of assessing students' readiness for college, CSU considers students' success on these additional components and on selected items from the original test.

The figure below shows:

• Participation in the EAP English has increased steadily over time, with 86% of 11th grader CST test takers opting in to the program in 2011. (Nearly all 11th graders are eligible to participate.*)
• Although the 19% of all 11th graders assessed as "ready for college" in English based on the 2011 results was a relatively modest percentage, it was higher than in prior years.

Data: California State University, Early Assessment Program

* A small percentage of 11th graders each year does not take the grade-level English CST; these students are not included in the chart above.

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