A study was conducted at Butte College to determine the effectiveness of the college's assessment and placement program. Between January 1981 and summer 1982, the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and a writing sample were used in placement; while after summer 1982, the Stanford Task Tests of English and Reading Abilities were used. The primary file of data collected for the study contained information on all 3,497 students who had taken freshman composition (Eng 210) between winter 1979 and fall 1983, while the secondary file contained information on all 191 developmental English (Eng 102) classes taught from fall 1975 through summer 1983. Statistical analyses of variance revealed: (1) student achievement had significantly increased since the college instituted its basic literacy skills assessment program in January 1981; (2) assessment by writing sample seemed to be particularly effective in increasing student achievement in freshman composition and least effective in increasing achievement in developmental writing; (3) the Stanford Task instruments seemed more effective in increasing student achievement in developmental writing than in freshman composition; (4) basic skills abilities, as measured by high school grade point averages (GPA's), of students entering the college before and after assessment began were not significantly different; however, college GPA's increased significantly under both assessment programs. (AYC)