Recent research on entering college student assessment instruments and placement practices has been critical. Critics suggest that commonly used assessment instruments are inaccurate, misused, and lack predictive validity. This article describes valid criticisms and appropriate uses of assessment instruments. It also lists challenges and provides…

Early colleges are intended to serve students from populations typically underrepresented in college and to prepare those students with the academic skills and dispositions to succeed in college. Another important attribute of early colleges is that they help students earn college credit during their high school years. Many such early colleges are…

Colleges and postsecondary systems across the nation have demonstrated remarkable progress since "Core Principles for Transforming Remediation" was published in 2012. States and institutions are phasing out stand alone or multi-course remediation sequences, resulting in tens of thousands of students more quickly enrolling in and…

In recent years, with support from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has funded various developmental education initiatives, including research and evaluation efforts, to help Texas public institutions of higher education provide more effective programs and services to underprepared students. Based on evaluation…

In this article, Gwen Taylor describes the West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) groundbreaking program, "Accelerating Opportunity" (AO), which targeted students who are deficient in math, reading, or writing. The program uses the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges' (2013) Integrated Basic…

The nation is facing a crisis in its community colleges: more and more students are attending community colleges, but most of them are not prepared for college-level work. The problem may be most dire in mathematics. By most accounts, the majority of students entering community colleges are placed (based on placement test performance) into…

This annual newsletter contains updates on the latest Community College Research Center (CCRC) research, new publications and details of upcoming presentations at major conferences. The feature article in this issue, "Strategies for Increasing Student Success," by Thomas Bailey, summarizes the discussion found in the CCRC Assessment of Evidence…

Describes a student placement program for freshman composition courses. (MKM)

The Centennial School District in Warminster, Pennsylvania, implemented its Two-Year Developmental Kindergarten Program in order to provide education for children identified as "developmentally not ready" for traditional school placement. This document describes the kindergarten program and the process of identifying children for…

Outlines progressive stages of the "Special Studies" developmental education program in the University of Georgia system. Illustrates the process by which prospective freshmen are identified as developmental students, placed in appropriate courses, and advanced to regular college credit classes. (DR)

Describes the goals and status of developmental courses at Lewis and Clark Community College as they were when the college changed from a private to a public two-year college and relates present goals and status. Discusses growth in remedial enrollment, program expansion, and the importance of student evaluation and placement. (DD)

The first portion of this paper discusses the procedure for placing freshmen in a remedial composition course at a small liberal arts college. The design of the basic skills test used for placement is criticized on the basis of the inappropriateness of both content and format (multiple choice) in determining which students required remedial…

In March 1977, the New Jersey Board of Higher Education created the New Jersey Basic Skills Assessment Program. To direct the program, the Board created the Basic Skills Council, which was charged with developing a test in reading, writing, and mathematics for all freshmen entering all New Jersey public colleges and universities. The purpose was…

Activities of the second year of a career education project in Weatherford, Texas from July 1974 to June 1975 are documented. A counseling component was established at all levels as well as the development of self-awareness and positive attitudes toward work at the K-7 level, career investigation experiences for grade 8, and exploratory…

Conducted from May 1971 to July 1974 at the Lakeshore Technical Institute in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the comprehensive career education program was established initially to serve 15 school districts but was redirected into a "model school" approach serving four schools. Business, industry, and labor became involved and loaned support to…