MC ESL Placement Reminders - Spring 2026

 MC ESL Placement is primarily for students who speak a language other than English at home, and have not spent 10 years in the US education system.  The diversity of our student body sometimes indicates other reasons to choose ESL vs. ENGL placement processes. 

• If a student is referred to the wrong process, ESL or ENGL will refer the student to the correct process.

• Students should be advised to only complete one placement process for their English classes, ESL or ENGL.  BOTH can place students into ENGL101 (+011) if appropriate.

• Students can place into ENGL101 or ENGL101+011 based on these exam scores:
• TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, (soon, Duolingo)
• ACT, SAT, GED, AP, IB
• APPE or APPG = 080

If students do not have scores from one of these exams, or one of the alternate placements, demonstrating readiness for college-level English, they need to complete the MC ESL Placement (or ENGL).

• MC ESL Placement places students into:
• ENGL101
• ENGL101+ENGL011
• ELAP
• ESL
• AELG

• ESL Placement scores do not transfer across institutions, nor does coursework from ESL or EAP program. Coursework from another institution, and internal placements from other institutions, do not constitute placements at MC, and students with ESL coursework from other institutions need to complete MC ESL Placement.

• Students should be referred to the Course Placement Guides on the MC website, which will lead them interactively through questions about their academic history, and lead them to the appropriate placement process.

• Once a student places into ELAP, we do not refer them back to the MC ESL Placement process.  We conduct diagnostic testing on the first day of every ELAP class, which can either confirm or change (i.e. advance) a student’s placement.

• We do not have resources to allow for repeated attempts at the ESL placement process (and repeats within a short period rarely change a person’s placement anyway).  If someone wants to appeal their placement, please remind them of the first-day tests.  Students may redo the placement process after a year, or after completing non-credit ESL coursework.

• If a student scores above a 90 on the TOEFL, they can advance to ENGL101.  However, TOEFL scores below 90 are not used to determine placement levels.

Preview Link – you’re welcome to take a look! 

PREVIEW -- Welcome to ESL GUIDED PLACEMENT! (3) – Fill out form

CE Students: ACCU ESL Retake Referrals

1.  A new ESL student finds out during the IMAP session that he/she needs to take R910/W910 courses. The student is not happy with the placement scores. He/she does not want to take a CE class or wait a semester cycle before retesting. 
   The student needs a referral from the ELAP chair to retest.
   
2. A new ESL student finds out during the IMAP session that he/she needs to take CE courses. The student is not happy with the placement scores. He/she does not want to way a semester cycle before retesting.
   
   The student needs a referral from a CE counselor/coordinator/professor to retest. Most likely, the CE counselor attending the IMAP session can sign or decline the retake request (the one used by counseling).
   
3.  A CE student completes an ESL course in the current semester. Does not have an “end of course form”. CE student comes to the assessment center asking for a retake. Assessment Staff checks the student in Banner and sees the student completed a CE course (the grade for the course is in Banner and shows completion). The CE student is allowed to retest.
   
   No referral needed.
   
4. A CE student completes an ESL course one, two or X number of semesters ago. Does not have an “end of course form”. CE student comes to the assessment center asking for a retake. Assessment Staff will find the following conditions:
   
   
   a)    Banner shows the student completed a CE courseb)    One or more semester cycles have already gone byc)    ACCU ESL scores are only good for 1 year
   All these conditions allow the CE student is to retest.
   No referral needed.

ESL Accuplacer - Section Retakes

Here is the ruling direct from Usha Venkatesh: students cannot retake part of the ESL Accuplacer. A student who wishes to retest in one of the skills, such as Speaking/Listening only, needs to go to the AELP department in Macklin Tower 512. AELP can issue a diagnostic test in the particular skill.

ESL Test Prep Links

http://libguides.nvcc.edu/eslplacement/eslplacementsample

http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/Plain.aspx?id=46103

http://www.bhcc.mass.edu/assessment/englishasasecondlanguage/sampleeslpracticequestions/

The College Board – ESL Accuplacer sample starts on Page 15

http://www.losmedanos.edu/assessment/documents/ACCUPLACER-ESL-SampleQuestions.pdf

http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/Department2.aspx?id=51002

http://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/students

ESL Accuplacer Retest Information

Procedures regarding ESL Accuplacer and Writing Assessment and

check on placement testing

I.      Procedure for NEW students

a.    Students receive their ESL Accuplacer scores and placement at an academic orientation (I-MAP) or are given them by a counselor.

b.    Students who enroll in AELP courses are given a first-day check on placement/diagnostic test.  Based on the results of this test, some students may be moved to another level of AELP or into credit-level courses.

II. Procedures for students to RETAKE ESL Accuplacer

a.    Student does not enroll in an AELP course

Student may retake ONCE in a subsequent semester with permission.	Permission is given on a case-by-case basis with approval from the AELP coordinator, chair, or designee based on student having taken language courses elsewhere or having completed some other type of language intervention
Student may automatically retake in a year.	ESL Accuplacer scores are valid for placement for one year

b.    Student enrolls in AELP course(s)

Student may not retake ESL Accuplacer while enrolled in AELP courses.
Every student who enrolls in AELP courses is given a first day check on placement/diagnostic test.	Based on the results of this test, some students may be moved to another level of AELP or into credit-level courses.
High performing students in AELP classes may be given an early skip test at the end of the semester.	Based on the results of these tests, some students may skip the next level of the AELP course sequence.

c.    Student enrolls in AELP course(s) but does not take any additional AELP courses for one or more semesters (up to a year).

Student should register for the next appropriate AELP class or classes.	Progress and placement will be evaluated through the first-day check on placement/diagnostic test.
Student should see an AELP Coordinator if courses have been taken elsewhere and the student believes this may change his or her course placement at MC.

d.    Student enrolls in AELP course(s) and then does not take any AELP courses for more than a year.

Student may retake ESL Accuplacer.
Student may register for the next appropriate AELP class or classes.	The student is not required to retake ESL Accuplacer.

e.    Student took Accuplacer and Writing Assessment, was placed into WD&CE Pre-Academic ESL, and completed a WD&CE Pre-Academic ESL course.

Student may retake ESL Accuplacer after successfully completing a WD&CE Pre-Academic ESL course.

The WD&CE counselor/coordinator or credit counselor completes the retake form.

f.     Student took Accuplacer and Writing Assessment, was placed into WD&CE Pre-Academic ESL, and did not complete a WD&CE Pre-Academic ESL course.

Student may retake ONCE in a subsequent semester with permission.	Permission is given on a case-by-case basis with approval from the AELP coordinator, chair, or designee based on student having taken language courses elsewhere or having completed some other type of language intervention
Student may automatically retake in a year.	ESL Accuplacer scores are valid for placement for one year

ESL Placements on the ESL Accuplacer

Update provided by Michel Léger on 7/3/14 

ESL course placements, listed on the IMAP forms that students receive from WDCE,  are confusing. Here’s what Angela Nissing has to say:

GUIDELINES:

Students placing into X should Y:

RW1/ESL165—take it alone

RW2/ESL166—take with High Beginning Writing, ESL189

RW3/ESL168—take with Intermediate Writing, ESL184

RW4/ESL176—take alone or with ESL184

Information on Assessment and Placement of Students

MONTGOMERY COLLEGE

Office of the Senior Vice President for Student Services

January 9, 2014

MEMORANDUM

To:                   The College Community

From:               Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, Senior Vice President for Student Services

Subject:           Information on Assessment and Placement of Students

In order to promote student success and retention, students need to enroll in courses for which they demonstrate the appropriate academic readiness. This memorandum is a reminder of the College’s procedures regarding assessment and placement of students, including retesting and appealing placement. Information on assessment testing may be found at http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/tertiary2.aspx?urlid=58.

Most students are placed into reading, English, and math courses based on their placement test, SAT, ACT, IB, or AP scores, or based on coursework completed at another college. In addition, most college-level courses at Montgomery College list assessment levels for reading, English, and math, as appropriate for the courses. For such courses, students must place at the designated assessment level(s) or higher in order to enroll. There is also a placement test for students who intend to take CH 101 (general chemistry). Students who have not passed CH 099A and who wish to take CH 101 should take the chemistry placement test at one of the campus assessment centers at least one day before they plan to register for CH 101. Students who have passed CH 099A (C or better) do not need to take the chemistry placement test.

New students whose first language is American English or who attended at least 10 years of school (elementary, middle, and high school) in the United States take the English, reading, and math sections of the Accuplacer. Everyone else who is required to be assessed must take the ESL Accuplacer plus writing sample.

Students who believe that their Accuplacer scores do not reflect their knowledge and skills, based on prior coursework and achievement, should be referred to a counselor or adviser to determine whether or not they meet the criteria for a retake.

If a student has taken the assessment test at a Montgomery College campus or at a high school (using the Academic Initiatives code), this counts as his or her first Accuplacer attempt. These scores will be on SOATEST in Banner with a campus or Academic Initiatives designation. Students in this category may retest at Montgomery College one time only and should not retest sooner than 24 hours after the initial test session.

When a student takes the assessment test in a high school, using the MCPS Accuplacer code, only scores that permit enrollment in college-level courses have been sent by MCPS electronically to Montgomery College and entered in Banner. Paper or informal results are not accepted. When a student who has tested at MCPS has both college-level and developmental placement scores, only the college-level scores have been sent to Montgomery College and will appear on SOATEST.

Note: All Accuplacer attempts that count towards a student’s total MC attempts will be on SOATEST.

English and reading Accuplacer scores are valid for two years. Math Accuplacer scores are valid for one year. If a student’s request for a retake is approved, the student should be encouraged to review the online information about Accuplacer Test preparation with links to review problems and test-taking tips. This may be found at http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/AssessCtr/accuplacer.htm .

Students who take the ESL Accuplacer plus writing sample may not retake the test during the current semester. However, during the first week that they are enrolled in an AELP course, students are given a diagnostic test. In some instances, based on their diagnostic test score, they may be permitted to enroll in a higher-level course.

Students who are dissatisfied with their course placements after two Accuplacer attempts may consider a review of placement, but the Accuplacer will not be given a third time.

Students who wish a review of placement in English should go to the English Department on their campus and ask to see the department chair or designee. These individuals are:

·         Germantown English

o   Dr. Christina Devlin – Office: Paul Peck Academic and Innovation Building (PK) 139

·         Rockville English

o   Professor Elizabeth Benton – Office: Macklin Tower (MT) 526

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring English

o   Professor Angela Nissing – Office: Pavilion Three (P3) 215

Students who wish a review of placement in reading should go to the Reading Department on their campus to see the department chair, coordinator, or designee.

·         Germantown Reading

o   Dr. Mary Robinson – Office: Humanities and Social Sciences Building (HS) 130

·         Rockville Reading

o   Professor Teri Hurst – Office: MT 503

o   Dr. Mary Owens – Office: MT 512

o   Professor Susan Simpson  – Office: Science West (SW) 108-2

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring Reading

o   Professor Windy Jefferson-Jackson – Office: P3 218

Students who wish a review of placement in math should go to the Mathematics Department on their campus to see the department chair or designee.

·         Germantown Math

o   Professor John Hamman – Office: High Technology and Science Center (HT) 133

o   Professor Kathryn Linehan – Office: HT 221

·         Rockville Math

o   Professor Susan King – Office: SW 031

o   Dr. Ben Nicholson – Office: SW 025 

o   Professor Stephanie Pepin – Office: SW 033

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring Math

o   Dr. Sharon Hauge – Office: Mathematics Pavilion (MP) 247

Students who wish a review of placement in chemistry should go to the Chemistry Department on their campus to see the department chair or designee.

·         Germantown Chemistry

o   Dr. Don Newlin – Office: Sciences and Applied Studies Building (SA) 265

·         Rockville Chemistry

o   Professor Abner Mintz – Office: Science Center (SC) 331D

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring Math

o   Dr. Adel Halli – Office: Science North (SN) 316

Students who wish a review of placement in AELP should go to the Department where AELP is located on their campus to see the department chair, coordinator, or designee.

·         Germantown AELP

o   Professor Page Whittenburg – Office: HS 106

·         Rockville AELP

o   Professor Ray Gonzales – Office: MT 512A

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring AELP

o   Professor Angela Nissing – Office: P3 12

If the department designee determines, by using relevant information, that the student should be placed in a course other than one based on the Accuplacer score, this action must be entered in Banner as an override in the SFASRPO screen with a brief comment on the rationale for the override in the comment screen, SPACMNT.

**Updated contact information:

Windy Jefferson Jackson is NOT the Reading Coordinator—that is Dr. Deborah Sewell, P4, 203A, x 73946; The chair of English IS Angela Nissing, but her location is P4, 110, x 71661, the AELP Coordinator is Heather Satrom, P4, 201D, x73990

Contact Information for Assessment & Placement Appeals

(Information from MC Communications from Dr. Walker-Griffea on June 3, 2013)
 

Students who are dissatisfied with their course placements after two Accuplacer attempts may consider an appeal, but the Accuplacer will not be given a third time.

Students who wish to appeal their placement in English should go to the English Department on their campus and ask to see the department chair or designee. These individuals are:

·         Germantown English:

o   Professor Tammy Peery – Office: Paul Peck Academic and Innovation Building (PK) 124

·         Rockville English:

o   Professor Elizabeth Benton – Office: Macklin Tower (MT) 526

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring English:

o   Professor Robert Giron – Office: Pavilion Three (P3) 215

Students who wish to appeal their placement in reading should go to the Reading Department on their campus to see the department chair, coordinator, or designee.

·         Germantown Reading

o   Dr. Mary Robinson – Office: Humanities and Social Sciences Building (HS) 130

·         Rockville Reading

o   Professor Susan Simpson – Office: Science West (SW) 108-2

o   Professor Teri Hurst – Office: MT 503

o   Dr. Mary Owens – Office: MT 512

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring Reading

o   Professor Windy Jefferson-Jackson – Office: P3 218

Students who wish to appeal their placement in math should go to the Mathematics Department on their campus to see the department chair or designee.

·         Germantown Math

o   Professor John Hamman – Office: High Technology and Science Center (HT) 133

o   Professor Kathryn Linehan – Office: HT 221

·         Rockville Math

o   Professor Stephanie Pepin – Office: SW 033

o   Professor Luc Desir – Office: SW 024

o   Professor Susan King – Office: SW 031

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring Math

o   Dr. Sharon Hauge – Office: Mathematics Pavilion (MP) 247

Students who wish to appeal their placement in chemistry should go to the Chemistry Department on their campus to see the department chair or designee.

·         Germantown Chemistry

o   Dr. Don Newlin – Office: Sciences and Applied Studies Building (SA) 265

·         Rockville Chemistry

o   Professor Abner Mintz – Office: Science Center (SC) 331D

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring Math

o   Dr. Adel Halli – Office: Science North (SN) 316

Students who wish to appeal their placement in AELP should go to the Department where AELP is located on their campus to see the department chair, coordinator, or designee.

·         Germantown AELP

o   Professor Page Whittenburg – Office: HS 106

·         Rockville AELP

o   Professor Ray Gonzales – Office: MT 512A

·         Takoma Park/Silver Spring AELP

o   Professor Angela Nissing – Office: P3 12

If the department designee determines, by using relevant information, that the student should be placed in a course other than one based on the Accuplacer score, this action must be entered in Banner as an override in the SFASRPO screen with a brief comment on the rationale for the override in the comment screen, SPACMNT.

Additional Information on assessment testing may be found at: 
http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/tertiary2.aspx?urlid=58