Research suggests that far more students are referred to developmental education courses than necessary, and that developmental education presents a barrier to students' success. As a result, many in the field have called for reforms to developmental education to address these challenges. This report documents developmental education practices…

Research suggests that far more students are referred to developmental education courses than necessary, and that developmental education presents a barrier to students' success. As a result, many in the field have called for reforms to developmental education to address these challenges. This report documents developmental education practices…

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, "Improving Community College Assessment and Placement," by Thomas Bailey, discusses how the process of assessment and…

Describes a two-year study to determine the relationship between initial evaluations of student placement essays and progress in a developmental writing course sequence at a midsize university. Finds a positive relationship and presents the methodology as a model for assessment, citing its adaptability, minimal costs, and improved program…

Placement exams are high-stakes assessments that determine many students' college trajectories. More than half of entering students at community colleges are placed into developmental education in at least one subject, based primarily on scores from these assessments, yet recent research fails to find evidence that placement into remediation…

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…

This report presents the findings of a survey designed to gather information about the experiences and attitudes of students enrolled in developmental English courses at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). The primary purpose of the study was to find out how satisfied students were with their experiences related to their English placement…

Santa Fe Community College (Florida) has used computerized adaptive testing with students placed in developmental reading, writing, and mathematics courses. Computerized adaptive testing utilizes the capabilities of microcomputers to adapt examinations to the abilities of individual students, may be less threatening to students, is preferred by…

An evaluation is presented of the remedial programs in each of New Jersey's 32 public colleges and universities. The academic outcome of full-time students entering in fall 1984 is tracked over four semesters. This analysis combines measures of the colleges' administrative efficiency in testing and enrolling students in needed remedial courses,…

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…

In 1989, a study was conducted of the status of student assessment and developmental education in Michigan's 29 public community colleges and three public four-year colleges which serve in a community college capacity. The study sought to to determine: (1) the number of community college students in need of and actually enrolled in developmental…

When the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges compiled best practices for serving basic skills students in 2002-2003, assessment practices were notably absent. In this paper, problems with current assessment and placement practices with regards to basic skills are explored. The paper begins with a review of the matriculation process…