Community colleges offer a pathway to the middle class for low-income individuals. Although access to college has expanded, graduation rates at community colleges remain low, especially for students who need developmental (remedial) courses to build their math, reading, or writing skills. The City University of New York's (CUNY's) Accelerated…

Community colleges are grappling with low rates of degree completion and transfer. The City University of New York's (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) aims to improve graduation rates by providing a range of comprehensive support services to community college students in select majors. Using student-unit record data, we…

The Learning Communities Demonstration is a national research project that is testing the effectiveness of learning communities in six community colleges across the United States: Merced College in California; The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in Baltimore, Maryland; Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida; Houston…

Discusses the need for and the skill development and comprehensive approaches to postsecondary developmental education. Describes three models of student assessment/placement and proposes a five-step model. Considers the establishment of proficiency standards, screening test selection, student processing, assistance centers, and evaluation. (AYC)

The proceedings of a conference for administrators, faculty, and staff of developmental education programs are summarized. An introductory section outlines the history, development, and definition of developmental education in the United States and gives statistics on the number and percentage of various institution types reporting developmental…

An academic support program that integrates learning skills instruction into entry-level college courses is described and evaluated. The program is shown to have a positive effect upon student performance, attrition, and reenrollment patterns. Longitudinal shifts in grade distribution patterns are noted. (Author/MLW)

Ferris State University's (FSU's) Collegiate Skills Program assists academically underprepared students in their transition to college. The program was initiatied in fall 1985 in response to increasing numbers of entering freshmen with inadequate reading and writing skills and subsequent high rates of attrition. Focusing initially on students with…

Each year, the Illinois community colleges conduct comprehensive reviews of their current program offerings. In fiscal year 1994, the colleges reviewed a total of 870 occupational, 176 general education or academic, 53 developmental and adult education, 90 academic and student support, and 22 other programs. Occupational programs were reviewed in…

This assessment of the developmental education program at the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) was conducted by the CCC's Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning (CITL). Part 1 describes the evolution of developmental programs in the CCC, focusing on the success of Loop College's Individual Needs Program in the 1970s, the decision to…

In recognition of the 25th anniversary of University College (UC), the first public two-year college in Ohio, this report presents an overview of the history and contributions of the college; a description of its students, student services, technical and transfer programs, developmental education programs, and community relations; and a discussion…

Programs providing academic support services in colleges and universities and the evaluation of these services are reviewed. Attention is also directed to the need for opportunities in higher education for students with marginal high school academic records, and responses to the need by institutions of higher education. It is suggested that there…