The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is a collaborative effort among the State Board of Education (SBE), the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California State University (CSU). The program was established to provide opportunities for students to measure their readiness for college-level English and mathematics in their junior year of high school, and to facilitate opportunities for them to improve their skills during their senior year.
EAP Purpose
EAP lets students know if they are ready for college-level work in English and Math. The early signal gives students the opportunity to improve their skills during their senior year or the summer before attending a CSU or community college and can also help students avoid taking the placement tests at the CSU and participating community colleges. Incoming students who do not demonstrate readiness for college level Math or English or both, will be required to enroll in Early Start during the summer before coming to the CSU.
EAP Mission
The ultimate goal of the EAP program is to have California high school graduates enter the CSU fully prepared to begin college-level study and to reduce the number of first-time freshmen who need Early Start. EAP is primarily organized into three parts:
- Early Assessment in 11th Grade
- Academic Preparation in 12th Grade
- Support for Educators, your school, and the community