Offered within the context of proposed legislation affecting matriculation and assessment in California's community colleges, this report analyzes current assessment practices and basic skills programs in the Kern Community College District (KCCD) and offers options and recommendations for improvement. Chapter 1 provides an introductory discussion of the need for student assessment, the proposed matriculation legislation, and assessment practices at other colleges. Chapter 2 looks at assessment in the KCCD, focusing on catalog statements regarding testing services; registration procedures at each college; and reading, writing, and mathematics assessment practices and standards. After chapter 3 reviews skills prerequisites for KCCD courses, chapter 4 considers basic skills courses and enrollments in the district. Finally, chapter 5 reviews options and offers recommendations. Appendices include an overview of assessment at the colleges and data on KCCD courses with and without prerequisites. (AYC)