Placement Policy

The placement policies of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) can be found in the Board of Regents Handbook, Title 4, Chapter 16, Section 1. 

TITLE 4 - Codification of Board Policy Statements - CHAPTER 16

Section 1. NSHE Placement Policy

The placement policies of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) are intended to ensure a foundation of knowledge and competencies that will assist students in successfully pursuing and attaining an academic degree. Students are strongly encouraged to prepare for the rigors of higher education prior to entering the NSHE.

1. Pursuant to federal regulations, institutions may make ability-to-benefit determinations using federally approved tests and passing scores to receive federal student aid. The NSHE reserves the right to cancel the admission or registration of any individual whose attendance at a university or college, in the opinion of the appropriate administrative officer and the President, would not be mutually beneficial, as determined by the ability-to-benefit test, to that individual and the university or college. 

2. Initial Placement of Students into English and Mathematics Courses.

   1. Exception from Remedial Instruction: Degree-seeking students who meet or exceed the minimum English or mathematics scores on any one of the college readiness assessments listed below must be placed into a college-level course in that subject and are exempt from being placed into any form of remedial instruction.

   College Readiness Assessment - Mathematics
   Test	Minimum Score
   ACT Mathematics	22
   SAT Math - SAT Test Date Prior to March 2016	500
   SAT Math - SAT Test Date March 2016 and later	530
   Smarter Balanced	2628 (Achievement Level 3)
   PARCC	Level 4 Score
   College Readiness Assessment - English
   Test	Minimum Score
   ACT English	18
   SAT Critical Reading - SAT Test Date Prior to March 2016	500
   SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing - SAT Test Date March 2016 and later	480
   Smarter Balanced	2583 (Achievement Level 3)
   PARCC	Level 4 Score

3. To promote completion of gateway courses within the first academic year, all degree seeking students must be continuously enrolled in appropriate mathematics and English courses until the institutional core curriculum mathematics and English requirements are completed. Institutions may authorize exceptions to this requirement if the exception does not affect the student’s ability to complete the gateway course within the first academic year.

4. Requirements for college readiness and college-level course enrollment shall be publicized by each institution to the appropriate Nevada school districts. In addition, the Chancellor will work with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to publicize these requirements to all Nevada school districts and to establish educational strategies to encourage high school standards, graduation requirements, and assessments that are aligned with college and workforce readiness expectations.

5. For purposes of this section, "college-level" means courses that are numbered 100-level and above.

(B/R 9/16)