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 second interim report,…

This paper presents the findings from a follow-up quantitative analysis of the Community College of Baltimore County's Accelerated Learning Program (ALP). The results suggest that among students who enroll in the highest level developmental writing course, participation in ALP is associated with substantially better outcomes in terms of English…

This study explored relationships between placement decisions in English and reading courses and measures of college achievement and persistence for first-time degree- and certificate-seeking community college students enrolled at a large, public, suburban-serving community college in Maryland. Archived records were examined for students who had…

This study examined the relationship of community college programs and services to retention of students in four community colleges, with an emphasis on determining whether outcomes vary for students in occupational programs and how student characteristics moderate these effects, with the goal of determining what is correlated with success.…

This Brief summarizes a study that addresses the impact of remedial and developmental courses on students with a range of levels of preparedness. Using longitudinal data from Tennessee, the authors estimate the effects of placement into varying levels of mathematics, reading, and writing courses for students attending public two- and four-year…

Each year, thousands of American students enter postsecondary institutions unprepared for college-level work and are subsequently placed in remedial or developmental courses. Several recent studies have examined the impact of these courses on student outcomes, but such studies focus exclusively on students who need just one or two classes; the…

Retention of college students in a special developmental program in the School of General Studies at Purdue University, Calumet (Indiana), was studied. Data were gathered from fall 1981 through spring 1984 on 245 students who completed developmental studies program requirements (24 hours) and transferred to a degree-granting school. Success was…

The "Guided Studies" program at a comprehensive community college was evaluated. The program was designed to restrict student course enrollment until academic deficiencies could be erased through successful completion of courses in developmental education. The persistence rates and academic performance of students placed in the program…

A study reported the status of approximately 2,900 participants in the student-support-services program for disadvantaged college students, and of 2,900 comparable nonparticipating students three years after college entry, looking at grades received, number of credits accumulated, and retention rates. The study also collected information on how…

Remedial or developmental courses are the most common policy instruments used to assist underprepared postsecondary students who are not ready for college-level coursework. However, despite its important role in higher education and its substantial costs, there is little rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of college remediation on the outcomes…

In 1989, Midlands Technical College implemented a comprehensive student tracking and retention reporting system to provide data on first-time students beginning in fall 1988. Highlighted findings for 1988 through 1991 included the following: (1) the freshman to sophomore retention rate for the fall 1990 cohort was 53.8%, a 6.4% increase over the…

In spring 1988, Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC), in Palos Hills, Illinois, implemented "College Success," a course to increase student academic performance and improve college retention. Students in the course learned a variety of techniques to help them succeed in college, including note-taking skills, time management, memory…

Drawing from studies conducted at Prince George's Community College (PGCC) between 1989 and 1991, this report offers a profile of developmental students at PGCC and an analysis of the remedial education needs of fall 1990 first-time students. The first section of the report reviews findings from a number of statewide and institutional studies…

A 3-year followup evaluation of the Personalized Education Program (PEP) of the General College, University of Minnesota, is presented. The program, which is designed to improve the academic retention and achievement of underprepared, freshman minority students, has served 273 students since the fall 1979 quarter, including 86 American Indians, 72…