The developmental education process, as it is typically implemented in colleges across the country, seems straightforward: underprepared students are assessed and placed into an appropriate developmental course sequence designed to prepare them for college-level work; once finished with the sequence, these students presumably then move on to…

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…

Tests must be responsive to the needs of adult learners who offer a unique history of formal education, come from different cultural/linguistic backgrounds, and may have had little exposure to tests. Transfer, occupational, continuing education and leisure program, and developmental studies of students' needs are examined. (Author/CM)

Examines the following aspects of the relationship between assessment and student success: the developing relationship between assessment and instruction; a model comprehensive assessment and placement delivery system; a critical path for assessment and placement; campus studies; and student flow from assessment through instruction. (DMM)

This study analyzes Los Angeles City College (LACC) records for a six-semester period of students who took the Guidance Examination in fall 1970 and scored in the lowest quintile on both the vocabulary and reading sections of the examination. This score indicated that their reading level was at the eighth-grade level or lower. The students were…

Developmental programs which have reached a relatively mature level of operation and can serve as regional models and resources for each other and for emerging programs are identified in this national directory. Introductory material discusses the need for and purpose of the directory, the selection process used to identify outstanding programs,…

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

This three-part concept paper was the result of a colloquium, during which 35 community college educators met in Traverse City, Michigan, to discuss issues related to access, assessment, and developmental education and to develop concept papers and recommendations for each topic. First, introductory material describes the colloquium and its…

Discusses major issues facing the community college: the need to provide, along with open admission, adequate supportive services to ensure student success; the need for appropriate assessment of students' skills and careful placement in responsive educational programs; and the need to provide effective developmental education. Offers…

In July 1986, a colloquium was convened to develop a position paper on access, assessment, and developmental education. This colloquium report contains the keynote speeches presented at the event, along with a statement developed by the participants regarding the issues. First, introductory material describes the purposes, sponsorship, and group…

A study was undertaken at Arizona's Pima Community College (PCC) to determine the extent to which entering students took writing, reading, and mathematics placement tests and followed placement recommendations, as well as the relationship between the completion of recommended courses and subsequent academic performance. The study sample consisted…

Results of a study of remedial education at all Maryland public colleges and universities, except for three campuses, are presented. Findings include: (1) by fall 1985 all institutions will have in place a systematic screening process to identify students lacking in one or more basic skill areas; (2) while all campuses collect some evaluative data…

This report on the effectiveness of Shelby State Community College's (SSCC) Academic and Developmental Services (A/D) Program consists primarily of statistical tables that describe three cohorts of full- and part-time students; i.e., those currently enrolled students who entered the college in fall 1985, 1986, or 1987. Data are presented on basic…

This collection of essays addresses various themes related to developmental education in two-year colleges. The collection contains: (1) "Responding to Criticism of Developmental Education," by Arthur M. Cohen, which answers six criticisms commonly leveled against remedial education; (2) "The Politics of Remediation," by Dennis McGrath and Martin…

In response to a legislative requirement, Redlands Community College (RCC) initiated a requirement in 1991 for students to take the Assessment of Skills for Successful Entry and Transfer (ASSET) test. The only exemptions were for those students enrolling in fewer than 6 hours of classes and not taking either English Composition or a college-level…