Senior Year Transition Course

Bridge to College Mathematics and Bridge to College English are senior year transition courses for students who scored below “college-ready” on the Smarter Balanced Assessment. Students who pass the course with a B grade or better will be considered college-ready by the majority of colleges in Washington and permitted to enroll in college-level English and non-STEM math courses without additional placement testing.

About the courses:

• The courses have been developed by high school teachers and college faculty in coordination with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
• Professional Development for teachers planning to offer Bridge to College Courses will be provided through regional K-12 and community college partnerships.
• Students who pass these Bridge to College Courses will be considered college-ready and eligible to enroll in college-level math at all of Washington’s community colleges and many of Washington’s four-year colleges.
• Initiative funding will support 300 high schools in implementing these transition courses.

Bridge Courses have the potential to efficiently, effectively, and dramatically reduce remediation rates in Washington: 

• Enables students to become college-ready while in high school and avoid costly remediation in college.
• Allows students to enroll in college-level math without additional placement testing (such as Accuplacer and others).
• Students who enroll in college-math immediately upon entering college are far more likely to go on to earn a college degree than students who need to first take remediation courses.
• Learn more about the background of Washington’s Bridge to College Courses here or download a handout or graphic for students and families.
• View the following reports:
  • A Progress Report focused on Bridge to College and Intensified Algebra
  • A Bridge to College Impact Evaluation Report.
  • A College Readiness Math Initiative Progress Report, December 2018.
  • A College Readiness Math Initiative Year 1 (Baseline) Report, November 2017.

For more information, please contact: Bill Moore, Director of K12 Partnerships  (SBCTC), Sally Zeiger Hanson, Project Manager (SBCTC), Molly Berger, ELA Specialist (OSPI), or Arlene Crum, Director of Mathematics (OSPI).