COPING WITH THE CBEST: ALTERNATIVE AND INCLUSIVE APPROACHES - Research report summary

Sep 4, 2026

The report describes a comprehensive admission program developed at California State University, Fresno to increase the number of minority students entering teacher education credential programs. The program responds to claims that the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) discourages qualified applicants. It uses early identification, guidance on taking the CBEST, alternative admission plans for students struggling with the test, diagnostic information, and specially designed courses to strengthen basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Background of the Problem and Related Initiatives

Increasing diversity in the teaching force

Claims about standardized basic skills testing (CBEST)

Credentialing requirements and CBEST scoring

ED 424195 AUTHOR TITLE PUB DATE NOTE PUB TYPE EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT DOCUMENT RESUME Valencia,Atilano A. Coping with the CBEST:Alternative and Inclusive Approaches.1998-10-00 16p. Reports -Descriptive(141)MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. Admission Criteria;*Basic Skills;*College Admission;College Students;Elementary Secondary Education;HigherEducation;Mathematics Skills;*Minority Groups;PreserviceTeacher Education;Reading Skills;*Teacher Certification;*Teacher Competencies;Writing Skills *Alternative Admissions(College);*California BasicEducational Skills Test;California State University Fresno California State University,Fresno developed a comprehensive program to increase the number of minority students admittedinto its teacher education program.The program,developed by the School ofEducation and Human Development(SOEHD),resulted from claims that themandatory California Basic Educational Skills Test(CBEST)impedes anddiscourages qualified minority students from entering teaching.The programincludes an early identification system that enables the SOEHD to identifystudents who intend to pursue teaching and provide them with informationabout taking the CBEST as early as possible.The program also includes advicefor students,several alternative admission plans for students who havedifficulty with the CBEST(e.g.,conditional admission despite not yet havingpassed the CBEST),and diagnostic information.There are specially designedcourses to further the basic skills of students who experience difficultypassing the CBEST.Data from 1996-97 indicate that the alternative admissionprogram helped remove a principal barrier to admission for at least 51percent of students who did not pass the CBEST in 1996-97.Data from 1994-97showed that 70 percent of students who entered via alternative admissionsplans passed the CBEST by the end of the semester.Data from the end of everyschool year suggest that the alternative admission plans and early identification system have successfully facilitated the admission of studentswho otherwise would have been denied admission due to low CBEST scores.(SM) ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made ★*★*★★★★*★★***★★★★★★**★****★********★******★*★★★★★***★**★******★ ED 424195 # COPING WITH THE CBEST:ALTERNATIVE AND INCLUSIVE APPROACHES by Dr.Atilano A.Valencia Chair,Department of Educational Research,Administration and FoundationsSchool of Education and Human DevelopmentCalifornia State University,FresnoFresno,California October 1998 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIALHASBEEN GRANTED BY A Valncia TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER(ERIC) U.S.DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOMice ol Educational Research and improvementEDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC) □ This document has been reproduced asreceived trom the person or organizationoriginating t □ Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality ● Points olview oropinions statedin this document do not necessarily represent officialOERI position or policy. # COPING WITH THE CBEST:ALTERNATIVE AND INCLUSIVE APPROACHESBackground of the Problem and Related Initiatives Increasing the diversity of the teaching force is a high prioritygoal for universities and a critical factor in institutional efforts tointegrate multiculturalism in all aspects of the schoolingenvironment and process.California State University,Fresno hasdeveloped and implemented a comprehensive program which isincreasing the number of minority students admitted into teachereducation credential programs.This program is an effectiverecruitment and retention effort.It is also an initiative thataddresses one of the subtle and frustrating barriers that minoritystudents have experienced in their efforts to achieve theireducational and career aspirations. This program was ini

FAQs

What problem does the report address regarding the CBEST?

The report addresses claims that the CBEST impedes and discourages qualified minority students from entering the teaching profession by acting as a barrier to admission.

How does the program support students who struggle with the CBEST?

It provides early identification, advice on taking the CBEST as early as possible, alternative admission plans (including conditional admission), diagnostic information, and specially designed courses to strengthen basic skills.

What do the provided data suggest about the program’s impact?

Data from 1996–97 and earlier years indicate that alternative admissions and early identification helped remove key barriers, with many students entering via alternative plans passing the CBEST by the end of the semester.

Sep 4, 2026

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