Research for Action (RFA) in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin is engaged in a five-year mixed-methods study of the reforms associated with California AB 705. Over the course of the study, our team will assess the implementation, impact, and cost effectiveness of reforms associated with the law. This report first offers a…

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, there has been a growing recognition that the traditional system of college mathematics remediation that relies on high-stakes placement tests and prerequisite, multi-level course sequences is associated with lowered chances of students completing developmental requirements and increased rates of student attrition. This…

When students first enroll in college, they are required to demonstrate readiness for college-level work. Course placement depends on standardized assessments, and students who do not attain a satisfactory score are typically assigned to developmental (e.g. remedial) education courses. The theory behind this approach has been that remedial…

This document is intended to be a companion piece for a report entitled "What Happens When Colleges Broaden Access to Transfer-Level Courses? Evidence from California's Community Colleges." It contains the technical appendices as follows: (1) College Profiles; (2) Additional Insights from our Interviews; (3) Data and Methods; (4) Caveat…

While developing strategies to meet the needs of underprepared students, public colleges and universities across the nation are being faced with directives, often stemming from public viewpoint, state legislatures, and/or state governing bodies of higher education systems, to modify existing university programs in an effort to decrease the cost of…

Kirkwood Community College, with an enrollment of 4,200 full-time students, received Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE) funds to address the problems of (1) the lock step nature of most of its occupational programs, (2) an attrition rate of approximately 15%, (3) once-a-year placement of graduates, (4) employer and…

Covering the period of June 1973 to June 1976, this final report describes objectives, activities, results, and accomplishments to date of a career education project serving nearly 10,000 K-12 students in five school districts in Southeastern Idaho. Accomplishments listed for continued implementation in the third operational year include these: An…

One of the greatest challenges that community colleges face in their efforts to increase graduation rates is improving the success of students in their developmental, or remedial, education programs--the courses that students without adequate academic preparation must take before they can enroll in courses for college credit. Emphasizing results…

Prepared by the Developmental Skills Committee at Fresno City College (FCC), this report proposes a program of skills instruction and services for underprepared students. Following a historical background, the report defines the underprepared student and outlines the assumptions about budget, course sequencing, and responsibility for curriculum…

This report discusses assessment and placement policies for developmental education in the Massachusetts Community College System. Since 1989, officials at community colleges across the state have implemented a series of assessment practices in reading, writing, and mathematics to assure correct placement for incoming first-year students. To…

"Informed math self-placement," a program implemented at American River College in Sacramento, California, to determine students' readiness for college-level math, has been in place for three years. This case study describes the development and implementation of math self-placement at American River. Math self-placement consists of a…