Deconstructing Remediation in Community Colleges: Exploring Associations Between Course-Taking Patterns, Course Outcomes, and Attrition from the Remedial Math and Remedial Writing Sequences

Each year, a sizeable percentage of community college students enroll in remedial coursework to address skill deficiencies in math, writing, and/or reading. Unfortunately, the majority of these students do not attain college-level competency in the subjects in which they require remedial assistance. Moreover, students whose point of entry into the remedial sequence is at the lower end of the hierarchy of skill suffer the lowest rates of attainment by far. Yet, to date, we do not understand fully why students who begin at the lower end of the remedial sequence are so much less likely than are students who begin at the higher end to attain college-level competency. The purpose of this study is to illuminate the junctures in the remedial sequences in math and writing at which meaningful attrition of students is occurring and, in particular, the junctures at which ??low-skill?? remedial students suffer differential attrition relative to ??high-skill?? remedial students. To accomplish this end, I use data that address students in California??s community colleges to examine three ways of characterizing and explaining the differential in college-level skill attainment between low- and high-skill remedial math students and, separately, between low- and high-skill remedial writing students. The three characterizations include nonspecific attrition, skill-specific attrition, and course-specific attrition. I find that each of these characterizations contributes to explaining the differential in college-level skill attainment between low- and high-skill remedial students.     

Examining the Impact of Redesigned Developmental Math Courses in Community Colleges

At community colleges, student preparedness for college-level work is a significant initial barrier. Over 70% of community college students are reported to be inadequately prepared for college mathematics. Because students need to pass college-level math in order to enroll in subsequent courses required for their majors or to complete general requirements for their degrees, community colleges have searched for instructional redesign approaches that can produce more positive results. This study reports on a developmental math redesigned curriculum that dramatically improved student course completion rates and resulted in some advantage in enrolling in college-level math compared with their peers in the traditional developmental sequence. Results are discussed in terms of their practical significance and implications for further research.     

PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSES AMONG STUDENTS CONCURRENTLY ENROLLED IN REMEDIAL COURSES: POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Community colleges utilize open-door admission policies to provide educational opportunities for all students, including those who are academically under-prepared in one or more areas. Current approaches to assisting under-prepared students include the targeted delivery of remedial courses in math, English, and reading. This approach typically relies on the use of standardized placement tests to determine whether students have remedial needs. Based on those placement test scores, students may have a remedial need in only one of the core academic areas (e.g., math, English, or reading). In such cases, students may concurrently enroll in required remedial courses and college-level courses unrelated to the area in which they are considered to be academically under-prepared. The research reported in this article evaluated the assumption that a student's under-preparedness is limited to a specific area by assessing the college-level performance of students concurrently enrolled in remedial and college-level courses. The results show that college-level pass rates are much lower among students concurrently enrolled in remedial courses who do not successfully complete one or more of these remedial courses. These students under-perform irrespective of the type of college-level course. In contrast, students who pass their remedial courses are generally successful in their college-level courses. Policy implications in regard to developmental education are discussed.     

Integrating Language,Literacy, and Academic Development: Alternatives to Traditional English as a Second Language and Remedial English for Language Minority Students in Community Colleges

This article argues for the importance of integrating a focus on language, literacy, and academic development for United States-educated language minority (US-LM) students, sometimes called Generation 1.5. It describes four initiatives at community colleges in California that aim to do so. US-LM students have completed some K–12 schooling in the United States, but their English is considered by community college faculty, staff, or assessment measures to be inadequate for college-level instruction. Although enacting effective language and literacy support for Generation 1.5 has centered on debates about whether these students belong in English as a Second Language (ESL) or remedial English courses, how they can best be identified and tested, or whether they should be taught in separate classes, we argue that more fundamental shifts are needed. Instead of conceiving of students’ language and literacy development solely in terms of progress through ESL or remedial English sequences, educators designing support for US-LM students must also consider larger contexts of students’ academic progress, promoting students’ development of language and literacy for success in academic and professional settings as well as progress toward completing credits required for associate degrees, certificates, and transfer to four-year institutions.     

Assessing the Effectiveness of Remedial College Courses

Randomly selected students required to take a remedial English course at a community college were placed in a regular English course on an experimental basis. The experimentally placed students were compared with those who enrolled in a regular course after passing a remedial course and with those who did not require remediation. Comparisons were made on ability, persistence, performance, and satisfaction. The remedial course had no effect on student satisfaction and persistence but a modest effect on subsequent course performance. The experimental methodology described can provide the college researcher with a basis for determining whether there is a need to revise or eliminate current remedial courses.     

Does Mathematics Remediation Work?: A Comparative Analysis of Academic Attainment among Community College Students

Postsecondary remediation is a controversial topic. On one hand, it fills an important and sizeable niche in higher education. On the other hand, critics argue that it wastes tax dollars, diminishes academic standards, and demoralizes faculty. Yet, despite the ongoing debate, few comprehensive, large-scale, multi-institutional evaluations of remedial programs have been published in recent memory. The study presented here constitutes a step forward in rectifying this deficit in the literature, with particular attention to testing the efficacy of remedial math programs. In this study, I use hierarchical multinomial logistic regression to analyze data that address a population of 85,894 freshmen, enrolled in 107 community colleges, for the purpose of comparing the long-term academic outcomes of students who remediate successfully (achieve college-level math skill) with those of students who achieve college-level math skill without remedial assistance. I find that these two groups of students experience comparable outcomes, which indicates that remedial math programs are highly effective at resolving skill deficiencies.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Modularized,Computer-Assisted,Self-Paced Approach to Developmental Math

Abstract

Community colleges are a large sector of postsecondary education. In 2016–2017, the United States had nearly 1,000 public 2-year postsecondary institutions (community colleges), serving almost nine million students, representing 39% of all undergraduates. The majority of entering community college students require developmental (or remedial) math. Success rates in the developmental math course sequence and college more broadly are discouragingly low. Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers alike are eagerly searching for reforms to improve success rates, but there is a dearth of causal evidence on the effectiveness of most proposed reforms. We sought to answer the following question: what effect does a modularized, computer-assisted, self-paced approach to developmental math (compared with a more “traditional” direct-instruction course alternative) have on students’ likelihood of completing the developmental math course sequence? Findings from a randomized controlled trial (n =1,403) are presented. The program was well implemented; however, we did not find evidence that this approach was superior to the “traditional” math class. Although these results are disappointing, they are important because modularization and self-paced computer-assisted instruction are popular reforms.     

Can Low-Cost Online Summer Math Programs Improve Student Preparation for College-Level Math? Evidence From Randomized Experiments at Three Universities

Every year many students enter college without the math preparation needed to succeed in their desired programs of study. Many of these students struggle to catch up, especially those who are required to take remedial math courses before entering college-level math. Increasing the number of students who begin at the appropriate level of math has become an important focus for educators and policymakers. We conducted randomized experiments of low-cost online summer math programs at three universities to test whether this type of intervention can increase access to math preparation, improve placement and enrollment in fall math classes, and improve performance in first-year math courses. Students who received the intervention engaged with the platform, though at relatively low rates, and were more likely to retake the placement test and improve their scores than students in the control group. However, these improved scores did not translate into enrolling in higher level math courses, obtaining more math credits, or improving grades in math-related courses during the first year of college. Thus, providing students access to this online tool did not improve their math skills.     

Remedial Education: An Area in Need of Scholar-Practitioner Collaboration

Much has been written about the disappointing record of remedial education. At least 40% percent of students never complete their remedial courses, hindering their access to college-level courses. Amid the clamor for reform, new programs are emerging in which scholars and practitioners collaborate on the development of models of instruction that hold promise for improving the college readiness of underprepared students. Scholar-practitioner collaboration requires a reconception of the research process and the meaning of practice. It also requires practitioners to reflect on their practice as partners in the research process. We conclude that the voices of those teaching and managing remedial education, not just those of researchers, are necessary to arrive at remedial education policies and practices that are effective and sustainable.     

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OCCUPATIONAL-TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS: ASSESSING STUDENT CAREER GOALS

ABSTRACT

A traditional way of assessing program effectiveness of academic programs has been by determining the percentage of students who complete programs and receive degrees or some other acknowledgment of completion. This method of assessment is particularly problematic for community colleges because only 4% of students who enroll in occupational-technical certificate programs do so with the intention of earning a certificate. These circumstances pose significant problems for certificate institutions as well as for those in coordinating/governing units at various levels who must assure that these programs are meeting the goals of the students and institutions in addition to the needs of a region or state. The purpose of this study was to investigate an alternative way of evaluating the effectiveness of occupational-technical programs to determine if they are meeting the goals of the students and institution by providing students with entry-level skills into the workforce or the ability to advance in their careers. Data were collected from the institution and from noncompleters in occupational-technical certificate programs at an urban community college. The study investigated when students choose to drop out and why. It concluded that these students are very pragmatic in terms of their education and that they enroll for specific reasons and drop out when they achieve their goals. This study not only confirmed that students meet their career goals, but also that the institution meets its goals as well since it is successful in preparing students for the workforce or in advancing them in existing jobs.     

Heterogeneity in the Effects of College Course Placement

Traditionally colleges have relied on standalone non-credit-bearing developmental education (DE) to support students academically and ensure readiness for college-level courses. As emerging evidence has raised concerns about the effectiveness of DE courses, colleges and states have been experimenting with approaches that place students into credit-bearing coursework more quickly. To better understand which types of students might be most likely to benefit from being placed into college-level math coursework, this study examines heterogeneity in the causal effects of placement into college-level courses using a regression discontinuity design and administrative data from the state of Texas. We focus on student characteristics that are related to academic preparation or might signal a student’s likelihood of success or need for additional support and might therefore be factors considered for placement into college-level courses under “holistic advising” or “multiple measures” initiatives. We find heterogeneity in outcomes for many of the measures we examined. Students who declared an academic major designation, had bachelor’s degree aspirations, tested below college readiness on multiple subjects, were designated as Limited English Proficiency (LEP), and/or were economically disadvantaged status were more likely to benefit from placement into college-level math. Part-time enrollment or being over the age of 21 were associated with reduced benefits from placement into college-level math. We do not find any heterogeneity in outcomes for our high school achievement measure, three or more years of math taken in high school.

     

Fractions in College: How Basic Math Remediation Impacts Community College Students

This study investigates the link between basic math skills, remediation, and the educational opportunity and outcomes of community college students. Capitalizing on a unique placement policy in one community college that assigns students to remedial coursework based on multiple math skill cutoffs, I first identify the skills that most commonly inhibit student access to higher-level math courses; these are procedural fluency with fractions and the ability to solve word problems. I then estimate the impact of “just missing” these skill cutoffs using multiple rating-score regression discontinuity design. Missing just one fractions question on the placement diagnostic, and therefore starting college in a lower-level math course, had negative effects on college persistence and attainment. Missing other skill cutoffs did not have the same impacts. The findings suggest the need to reconsider the specific math expectations that regulate access to college math coursework.

     

The Effect of a Community College Promise Scholarship on Access and Success

Based on a mixed methods case study design, the current study reports on a Promise Scholarship program offered by a community college and its affiliated foundation to graduating students at a nearby high school located in a low-income neighborhood of a large city and with a high proportion of African American and other students of color. Using a mix of government and private funding, all graduating students, regardless of financial need or academic achievement, were offered free tuition at the community college for one year. The promise of a scholarship plus an intensive outreach effort resulted in the majority of graduating seniors submitting scholarship applications and a four-fold increase in the proportion of graduates from the high school who subsequently matriculated at the community college. Once at college, the student recipients demonstrated a high rate of quarter-to-quarter retention. However, few placed into college-level courses in English and math, and their academic progress at the end of the first year was modest.     

Referral,enrollment, and completion in developmental education sequences in community colleges

After being assessed, many students entering community colleges are referred to one or more levels of developmental education. While the need to assist students with weak academic skills is well known, little research has examined student progression through multiple levels of developmental education and into entry-level college courses. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the patterns and determinants of student progression through sequences of developmental education starting from initial referral. Our results indicate that fewer than one half of the students who are referred to remediation actually complete the entire sequence to which they are referred. About 30 percent of students referred to developmental education do not enroll in any remedial course, and only about 60 percent of referred students actually enroll in the remedial course to which they were referred. The results also show that more students exit their developmental sequences because they did not enroll in the first or a subsequent course than because they failed or withdrew from a course in which they were enrolled. We also show that men, older students, African American students, part-time students, and students in vocational programs are less likely to progress through their full remedial sequences.     

Remedial Testing and Placement in Community Colleges

Almost half of students who enter college require some sort of remedial coursework. Further, states are increasingly moving the responsibility of postsecondary remediation away from four-year campuses to two-year institutions. Scholars and policymakers have grappled with best practice for successfully filling in academic gaps and moving students forward, and there is variation both within and between states as to the ways in which remediation is defined, determined, and administered (Perin, 2006 Perin , D. ( 2006 ). Can community colleges protect both access and standards? The problem of remediation . Teachers College Record 108 ( 3 ), 339 – 373 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Using a regression discontinuity design, this study seeks to answer the following question on one community college campus: How does placement into remedial services affect student outcomes, in particular, successful completion of an introductory college-level English course? Although this study focuses on a single community college system, the findings have bearing on a wider sector as the developmental placement practices of Harper Community College District are not unlike those implemented by two- and four-year campuses across the country.     

C Problem: Climb or Catastrophe

While community colleges serve as a postsecondary entry point for many “at-risk” students, not many who enroll will be ready or able to participate in college level courses on entry. Statistically, large numbers of community college students require college remediation, and only a handful are able to successfully emerge from the remediation pipeline. Many students find mathematics the most challenging course sequence and frequently report high levels of math anxiety and lower completion rates. Using population data from a large urban district in a western state, this study examined the impact of course grades on subsequent grades within math courses.     

Scaffolding Mathematics Remediation for Academically At-Risk Students Following Developmental Education Reform in Florida

The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand how educational scaffolding may explain changing patterns of student success in mathematics in the era of developmental education (DE or remediation) reform in Florida College System (FCS) institutions. Specifically, we apply the concept of scaffolding to underprepared FCS students who are at risk of dropping out or failing gateway courses (the first credit-bearing college-level class in a course sequence) because they lack the academic skills necessary to succeed in college-level coursework, particularly in mathematics. We present data from focus groups conducted at 10 FCS institutions, suggesting that a reduction of scaffolding in math remediation occurred in the areas of course sequencing, instruction, and coordination with academic support services following state-level policy changes. In light of these findings, we offer a discussion of practical recommendations for college administrators related to academic advising, instructional strategies in DE courses, coordination between developmental and college-level instructors, student success courses, and the integration of DE instruction with academic support. We also suggest directions for continued research on the effects of policy changes in the FCS and DE reform efforts across the country.     

Using State Assessments for Predicting Student Success in Dual‐Enrollment College Classes

Scores on state standards‐based assessments are readily available and may be an appropriate alternative to traditional placement tests for assigning or accepting students into particular courses. Many community colleges do not require test scores for admissions purposes but do require some kind of placement scores for first‐year English and math courses. In this study, we examine the efficacy of using the reading and math portions of the Kansas State Assessment (KSA) for predicting the success of high school students taking College Algebra and College English I at a Kansas community college. Results showed that in this sample KSA scores predicted as well or better than more traditional placement tests and with no extra cost to the institution.     

Math Skills Assessment

ABSTRACT: A math review exam, written and administered in conjunction with the Quantitative Assessment Program at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, is used at the beginning of the 1st food engineering course to evaluate math skills needed for successful completion of the course. Students who do not score well on the math exam are targeted for individual remedial work to help bring their math skills up to a level that allows successful completion of the food engineering course.     

Effectiveness of Summer Bridge Programs in Enhancing College Readiness

An alarmingly high percentage of recent high school graduates are not prepared to succeed in college-level courses, and the impact of this educational shortcoming is substantial. Underprepared college students incur a monetary cost of enrolling in remedial courses, and states and taxpayers subsidize much of the overall cost of developmental education. In addition, underprepared students are less likely to graduate from college, thus impacting their earning potential and the nation's economic need for a more highly educated workforce. One approach to reducing the need for developmental education is high school bridge programs. These programs, which usually take place on a college campus, provide interventions that help targeted students aspire to, prepare for, and achieve college enrollment. This article reports on the effectiveness of bridge programs at Texas colleges in the summer of 2007; it covers two community college programs that demonstrated the highest pre- to postprogram student achievement gains of the participating institutions. Findings from this study and previous research suggest that effective bridge programs (a) have very strong relationships with their partner school districts; (b) provide professional development to all program staff; (c) conduct preprogram orientation sessions and closing ceremonies; (d) provide bus transportation; (e) involve parents in the program; (f) provide students with labs to support classroom instruction; (g) provide academic advising and other support services; and (h) implement both formative and summative evaluation methods.