Until recently, many colleges provided academic support to students by requiring students to complete one or more developmental education courses in a subject area before they could enroll in college-level coursework. As early as 2010, research indicated that very few students were making it out of these developmental education courses and into…

Until recently, many colleges provided academic support to students by requiring students to complete one or more developmental education courses in a subject area before they could enroll in college-level coursework. Now colleges have been experimenting with new approaches that accelerate students into college courses, including corequisite…

This brief summarizes results from a study on the experience of inter-sector math misalignment (ISMM), when students who were deemed "college-ready" by high school standards were placed in developmental courses upon enrolling in a local community college. Given that racially minoritized students are more likely to be placed into…

Colleges attempt to identify students who are underprepared for college-level courses and then place them into developmental courses intended to help them succeed. These courses are usually offered on a non-credit basis and do not count toward graduation. As a result, students enrolled in developmental education can take longer to graduate than…

Colleges attempt to identify students who are underprepared for college-level courses and then place them into developmental courses intended to help them succeed. These courses are usually offered on a non-credit basis and do not count toward graduation. As a result, students enrolled in developmental education can take longer to graduate than…

Colleges attempt to identify students who are underprepared for college-level courses and then place them into developmental courses intended to help them succeed. These courses are usually offered on a non-credit basis and do not count toward graduation. As a result, students enrolled in developmental education can take longer to graduate than…

Using linked, individual-level data from a large metropolitan K-12 district and a large urban community college district in California, we examine whether indicators of college-readiness for graduating high school students who were initially classified as English Learners (ELs) are honored in community college course placement. In particular, we…

Nationwide, community colleges struggle with how to improve the poor outcomes of students referred to developmental education. Based on a case study of an urban community college system, this paper sets forth an "opposing forces framework" to help diagnose the underlying issues that may thwart colleges' efforts to improve developmental outcomes.…

This mixed-method study explored the alignment of expected student learning outcomes (SLOs) and expected student entrance skills, as stated within "course outlines of record" (CORs), for basic skills courses in one California community college district. Researchers evaluated consistencies and discrepancies in course alignment. There were…

Many two-year colleges throughout the nation are intentionally redesigning developmental education programming and practices directed at improving student preparedness and success. Theoretical works from Bloom and Knowles have established that the affective domain is significant to learner preparedness and eventual success, specifically for adult…