Identifies and refutes seven myths regarding developmental education. Indicates that developmental education programs have a long history in America, raise academic standards, contribute to retention, are cost-effective, serve a diverse population, should not be limited to community colleges, and do not repeat high school course offerings.…

Course placement systems in the first year of college include both an assessment component (to estimate students' probability of success in standard courses) and an instructional component (in which underprepared students are taught the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the standard courses). The effectiveness of a placement system…

Using a developmental research model, this longitudinal study focused on the academic development throughout secondary education of participants in a Midwestern Upward Bound project. The study attempted to determine whether the participants collectively demonstrated significant gains in achievement as a direct result of involvement in Upward Bound…

Examines and evaluates three approaches used by community colleges to provide academic assistance to educationally underprepared students: offering compensatory programs and services as electives; requiring certain students to participate in skills courses; and offering basic skills instruction as part of regular courses. (DMM)

This research assessed whether Israel's "second-chance" educational programs, the academic preparatory programs (APP) that challenge the sorting criteria of the mainstream, succeed in enhancing social equality in education. Successful outcomes of the APP are analyzed in light of the reported failure of community colleges to moderate…

In this newsletter focusing on helping college students succeed, an introductory essay by David Shroyer examines experiences with developmental studies at the University of New Orleans and issues in serving underprepared students, especially problems of attitude on campus. Suggestions for success include: an informal support network, a team…

This study examined the progress of nine collaborative student academic development programs in California which focused on improving the preparation of secondary school students for college and university study. The programs were selected for inclusion on the basis of commonalities along the following dimensions: a goal of increasing the number…

This report responds to the California Legislature's request for an assessment of the impact of intersegmental programs designed to enhance student preparation for college, particularly those students historically underrepresented in postsecondary education. The report focuses on the effectiveness of each program and its components and the extent…

This five-part report presents a statewide framework for assessing the impact of intersegmental programs designed to enhance student preparation for college, particularly those students who are historically underrepresented in postsecondary education. The first part of the report explains the origins of the study and the organization of the…