A recent study found that one in three Americans between the ages of 16 and 65 lack the skills needed to succeed in middle school math, let alone math at the high school or college level. In some instances, states or colleges have raised standards for developmental courses and routed students who score below the minimum skill level for…

Guttman Community College (GCC), a newly-established, urban community college, part of the City University of New York (CUNY), enrolls a largely traditional student body which is also predominantly minority. Students enter the college with an average high-school grade-point average of 75% (C average), and are required to enroll in three first-year…

Half of all college students will enroll in remedial coursework but evidence of its effectiveness is mixed. Using a regression-discontinuity design with data from a large urban community college system, we make three contributions. First, we articulate three alternative hypotheses regarding the potential impacts of remediation. Second, in addition…

Half of all college students take at least one remedial course as part of their postsecondary experience, despite mixed evidence on the effectiveness of this intervention. Using a regression-discontinuity design with data from a large urban community college system, we extend the research on remediation in three ways. First, we articulate three…

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…

Basic skills courses are designed to teach students certain basic academic competencies they have not mastered. However, very little research has examined the quality of instruction inside basic skills classes. This paper presents preliminary findings from observations in 13 California community colleges. The clearest finding is that…

Background/Context: Twenty percent of first-year students in public 4-year institutions and 42% of first-year students in public 2-year institutions in the United States enroll in remedial courses. Yet despite widespread remediation across U.S. colleges and universities, there remains a great deal of uncertainty about how remedial courses develop…

A developmental English class for students who placed too low on entrance tests to take standard college freshman English is described. To overcome the class's fear of the assignment, a shill is used who complains loudly about writer's cramp, tiredness, and being embarrassed. Students become more confident, relax, and concentrate. (Author/MLW)

Reports that developmental freshmen taking a one-credit remedial learning skills course did not receive grades significantly better or worse (either during or immediately after taking the course) than non-participating students. States that these results are consistent with other studies indicating that developmental freshmen need time to respond…

Argues that demandingness, responsiveness, and self-regulation could be used to organize, explain, and predict useful techniques for developmental education practitioners. Also contends that student self-regulation is developed in demanding and supportive environments. Stresses the need for a training initiative in developmental education.…

Cites results of recent studies about deteriorating basic skills of community college students. Presents opposing views on developmental education by John Roueche (EJ 189 264) and Arthur Cohen (EJ 201 762). Argues in favor of providing for underprepared students through specialized, developmental "intensive care units" built around prescriptive…

This paper addresses the issue of developmental education in the community college. Across the country, states are increasingly discouraging four-year institutions from offering remedial education. The City University of New York and the California State University system are phasing out remedial instruction. In the 1999-2000 academic year, public…

This report aims to address concerns regarding the need for developmental education in mathematics in the higher education institutions in Texas. Fifty-three million dollars of the $93 million appropriated for developmental education in Texas in 2002 went to mathematics. About 40% of new students in two-year colleges and 20% of new students in…

Describes South Suburban College's implementation of the Structured Open Access Model, an interventionist system that responds to underprepared students. (YKH)

A project was conducted at Cumberland County College to determine (1) whether remediation of basic skills deficiencies has an effect on the successful completion of selected vocational courses; (2) the levels of basic skills competencies in reading, writing, and mathematics necessary for entry into selected vocational courses; and (3) the most…