A significant challenge in higher education is to narrow the educational attainment gap between academically prepared and unprepared students. To this end, developmental or remedial education is intended to improve the academic skills and knowledge of students who are unprepared for undergraduate coursework, particularly in the areas of…

This issue of "The Progress of Education Reform" will address the following three questions: (1) What are the challenges that developmental education programs face that affect their success? (2) Are developmental education programs an effective strategy for increasing college attainment rates? and (3) How can state policy improve the…

Investigates the effectiveness of developmental skills courses in terms of grade point average, credits earned, retention, goal attainment and degree earned. Suggests that developmental skills courses had no effect on student achievement in any of the measured areas. Contains 9 data tables and 17 references. (JDI)