California State University’s placement tests are set to become a thing of the past.

The chancellor’s office wants to evaluate whether students are ready for college by using markers like high school grades and SAT or ACT scores instead of the English and math placement tests that have long been the standard. The central office sent the draft executive order, obtained by the Bay Area News Group, to presidents of the system’s 23 campuses this week for feedback.

The move might thrill high schoolers but it worries some faculty who are concerned it could lower standards and bog down ongoing efforts to graduate more students in four years if they struggle to succeed in credit-bearing courses.

But the chancellor’s office says the opposite is true. Right now, almost 40 percent of admitted freshmen have to take remedial classes that cost money but don’t count toward a college degree. If more students can go directly into courses for credit, they can graduate in less time.

By 2025, the system wants 40 percent of freshmen to earn a degree in four years, but only about 20 percent currently graduate on time, meaning there’s a long way to go.

The executive order would direct campuses to create so-called “stretch” courses for such students, which would give them credit but also more time with instructors and extra support. It would also expand a summer prep course for students who aren’t ready for college English and math.

That prep course already exists at San Jose State. The school says the course has helped reduce the number of freshman needing remedial courses to 30.7 percent in the fall of 2015 from 55.4 percent in 2010.

It’s unclear how much it will cost schools to make the changes, and will vary by campus since some schools already offer stretch courses. The central office has allocated $140,000 to each campus to gather faculty to discuss how to approach the changes.

“We’re working closely with faculty on this,” said Jeff Gold, CSU’s assistant vice chancellor for student success. “We are not prescribing a one-size-fits-all model here.”

Some of California’s community colleges are also phasing out placement tests and moving more students who would have traditionally gone into remedial courses into credit-bearing classes with extra support. A bill in Sacramento would require all of the state’s community colleges to adopt a similar approach.

In his May 16 memo to CSU presidents seeking comment, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Loren Blanchard gave campuses a month to respond in order to allow “sufficient time to consider feedback, modify the text or the approach that will best serve our students.” The changes would take effect for undergraduates beginning their studies next summer.

“It will improve retention,” Gold said. “It will improve success.”