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Developmental Education in Community
Colleges
Thomas Bailey and Sung-Woo Cho
Community College Research Center
When students arrive to enroll in community college students who do not enroll in any
college, almost all are asked to take a skills developmental education course complete a
assessment in math, reading, and writing. degree or certificate in the same time period.2
Based on these assessments, students are either It will be very difficult to meet the Obama
categorized as “college-ready” and can enroll administration’s goal of increasing the number
in college-level classes in the relevant of community college graduates by 5 million
subjects, or they are considered by 2020 without making significant progress
“developmental” or “remedial” students and on improving outcomes for students who
are referred to academic services designed to arrive at community colleges with weak
raise their skills up to college standards. Many academic skills.
students are referred to multiple levels of
remediation—up to five levels in some cases. In this Brief we first report on evidence about
This means that such students would have to the effectiveness (or, unfortunately, in too
successfully navigate five semesters of pre- many cases, the ineffectiveness) of
college instruction before being prepared for remediation and then provide information
their first college-level course. about the progression of students through the
developmental sequence. We discuss problems
While a variety of other remedial services are associated with the crucial assessments and
offered, the large majority consists of these make a brief statement about costs. We then
semester-long developmental classes in the describe three initiatives designed to improve
subjects to which students have been referred. the performance of remedial services.
About 60 percent of incoming students are
referred to at least one developmental course.1
This is often surprising to them since the large Effectiveness
majority of community college entrants are
high school graduates. And for many, Do the services provided to students through
remediation is not just a course, but rather, for developmental education programs work to
those referred to multiple levels, a whole improve student outcomes? Given the size and
curriculum. importance of the developmental function,
there are surprisingly few rigorous
Addressing the needs of developmental evaluations, and outcomes from those are not
students is perhaps the most difficult and most encouraging. Two rigorous studies, one in
important problem facing community colleges. Florida and one in Texas, found that students
Developmental students face tremendous who participated in remediation did no better
barriers. Less than one quarter of community on several outcome measures than similar
college students who enroll in developmental students who enrolled directly in college-level
education complete a degree or certificate courses. 3 On the other hand, a study in Ohio,
within eight years of enrollment in college. In using a more restricted sample, found positive
comparison, almost 40 percent of community effects for math remediation but none for
46reading. 4 But the results of these studies are recruits students to enroll in the first place, that
most reliable for referred students whose improves the teaching that takes place in the
assessment scores put them close to the remedial classroom in order to retain students
remediation cutoff points—that is, these were in the courses, and that helps students bridge
among the stronger of the students who were the gap between courses.
referred to developmental education. We know
very little about the effectiveness of Of course the best developmental education
developmental education for students who program is the one that avoids the need for
score well below the cutoff score, although a remediation in the first place. Certainly K12
study of a program for students in adult basic reform will help, but students will continue to
skills classes in Washington State—the I- arrive needing help (many community college
BEST program—does show promising early students have been out of school for several
outcomes. This will be discussed in more years or were schooled in their home
detail below. countries). Intensive bridge programs that take
place in the summer before college starts have
the potential to make up for weaknesses and
Progression allow students to start college at the college
level.
Analysis of the progression of students
through developmental education provides Assessments
some insight into why these students are
unlikely to go on to complete a degree or other Problems with the assessments (often called
credential. Using student data from colleges placement tests) used to refer students
participating in the nationwide Achieving the represent another barrier to improved
Dream initiative outcomes for students with weak academic
(http://www.achievingthedream.org/), we skills. Overall, there is no consensus about
found that many students do not complete their what constitutes preparation for college. States
sequences of developmental courses, and a and institutions use many different
sizeable proportion of those referred never assessments, and even when they use the same
even enroll. 5 To take math developmental assessments, they often set different cutoff
education as an example, 28 percent of those scores. Moreover, there is no obvious point of
referred did not enroll. Another 30 percent discontinuity in the distribution of cutoff
failed or withdrew from one of the scores that might provide a meaningful point
developmental courses in which they enrolled. to distinguish between “remedial” and
Ten percent dropped out of their ”college-ready” students. Thus, there is little
developmental sequences without ever failing to differentiate students within the wide range
a course. Thus, only 31 percent successfully of students above and below the cutoff scores.
completed their sequences of math
remediation. Of those completers, about half Moreover, students who are referred to
(16 percent of all of those referred) actually developmental courses through the
completed a college-level course in math assessments face many different problems.
within three years. (Outcomes for reading Again taking math as an example, some
were somewhat better: about one quarter students may have had difficulty learning math
completed the first relevant college-level in high school, some may have taken very
course within three years.) little math, some older students may have done
well in math but have forgotten much of what
The data on progression provide several they learned, and others may have language
insights into directions for reform. First, the problems and experience trouble
sequence of course is often too complicated understanding the placement tests. These
and takes too long. This suggests a different groups of students need different
comprehensive strategy that effectively types of services, but the assessments do not
47differentiate among them, and the colleges do data have revealed the extent and nature of the
not provide different classes or other problems that we have described. This better
interventions to address the varied reasons for understanding of the problems is informing the
the skills deficiencies. Assessments that do a many potential solutions that are currently
better job of identifying particular weaknesses being tested.
could lead to more customized developmental
programs that have the potential to reduce the For example, Bill and Melinda Gates
time that students must spend in remediation. Foundation and Lumina Foundation for
Education have funded the Developmental
Some developments over the past two years Education Initiative (DEI) as an outgrowth of
suggest that we may be moving toward a Achieving the Dream
better system of assessments. The Common (http://www.deionline.org/). Sixteen colleges
Core State Standards that have been adopted are participating in the DEI, the purpose of
by 34 states have advanced the national which is to help the colleges expand small or
discussion of what constitutes being ready for pilot programs that have been shown to be
college, and assessment companies are effective. Lumina Foundation has also funded
developing more diagnostic assessments, but an initiative titled Getting Past Go
these improvements are still at an early stage. (http://www.gettingpastgo.org), which is
In the meantime, states such as Florida and focused on improving developmental
California are already implementing early education through enhanced state policy. The
college readiness testing along with National Center for Postsecondary Research,
opportunities for remediation for students funded by the Institute for Education Sciences
while they are still in high school. These are in the U.S. Department of Education, is
examples of state-level efforts that aim to conducting rigorous evaluations of
engage high schools around the need to reduce developmental education models and
remediation of their graduates. interventions, including studies of six learning
communities (discussed below) and a study of
intensive summer bridge programs designed to
Costs help students become college-ready in a
compressed time period the summer after high
Developmental education is certainly costly. school graduation. These programs appear to
States spend tens of millions of dollars on have potential, but most of them are at early
remediation, and very rough national estimates stages.
suggest that well over $1 billion a year are
spent on these services. But it is students who Below we outline three promising programs
probably have to bear the most significant for which we do have some evaluation
costs. They must not only pay for the classes evidence.
but also must delay their progress through
college. Many students are discouraged when Accelerated Learning Program (ALP)
they find out that they are not eligible for
college-level courses. This may explain the Description: In Accelerated Learning
high “no-show” rates among those referred to Programs, or ALPs, students placed into
remediation. upper-level developmental courses are
“mainstreamed” into college-level courses in
that subject, and are simultaneously enrolled in
Reform Initiatives and Exemplars a companion ALP course (taught by the same
instructor) that meets in the class period
Thus, developmental education is costly and immediately following the college-level class.
not very effective. But there is some reason for The aim of the ALP course, which has a small
optimism. It is only recently that number of students, is to help students
improvements in the availability and quality of maximize the likelihood of success in their
48first college-level course and to speed up their
progress through the developmental sequence. Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training
(I-BEST)
Value-added: ALP accelerates those students
who are most ready to take their first college- Description: In the I-BEST model, basic skills
level course by allowing them to bypass the instructors and professional-technical faculty
highest level of developmental education. jointly teach college-level occupational classes
Students needing remediation are thus that admit basic skills students. The objective
“mainstreamed” directly into college-level is to accelerate the rate at which adult basic
coursework that incorporates supplemental skills students advance to college-level
instruction, tutoring, or other supports. In programs that lead to career-path employment.
some other acceleration models, colleges The Washington State Board for Community
combine developmental courses at different and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has
levels, thus reducing the total number of such implemented I-BEST since the 2005-06
courses students must take. ALP is more of a academic year, when 10 colleges piloted the
structural innovation than an instructional one, program. In 2007-08, I-BEST was expanded to
save for the additional instruction that the all 34 colleges in the system.
college-level instructors provide for these
developmental students. Value-added: By integrating instruction in
basic skills with instruction in college-level
Population targeted/served: ALP serves professional-technical skills, I-BEST seeks to
students at the upper end of the developmental increase the rate at which adult basic education
range, that is, those students who are assigned students advance to college-level programs
to remediation but score near the and complete postsecondary credentials in
developmental cut-off point on assessments. fields offering good wages and opportunities
for career advancement. In the state of
Evidence of effectiveness: The Community Washington, I-BEST is funded at 1.75 times
College of Baltimore County (CCBC) has had the normal rate per full-time equivalent
the ALP since the 2007-08 academic year. student to compensate for the cost of using
Using a multivariate analysis, one study found two faculty members as well as other planning
that among CCBC students who were referred and coordinating costs.
to the highest level of developmental English,
those who enrolled directly into the college- Population targeted/served: I-BEST serves
level course and the concurrent ALP basic skills students with an interest in
companion course were significantly more enrolling in occupational classes that lead to
likely to take and pass that college-level jobs with higher wages. The program is
course and the course immediately after it targeted to students who have specific
(English 101 and 102) than those who enrolled occupations in mind and who cannot afford to
in the highest level of developmental wait to finish basic skills before enrolling
education. 6 ALP was also found to be a postsecondary education and training.
significantly more cost-effective pathway
through the required college-level English Evidence of effectiveness: Using propensity
courses than the traditional developmental score matching, one study found that students
sequence, as measured by cost per successful who enrolled in I-BEST were more likely to
student. Because of the promising preliminary progress into credit-bearing courses, persist in
findings on the program, CCBC is in the college, accumulate credits that count toward a
process of scaling up ALP such that by next credential, and make learning gains on basic
year, the majority of students who are referred skills tests. 7 A forthcoming paper that
to the highest level developmental English employed difference-in-differences analysis,
course will be enrolled in English 101 with the found that students who were exposed to I-
concurrent ALP support course. BEST were 10 percentage points more likely
49to earn college-level credits and more than developmental course sequence completion in
seven percentage points more likely to earn a English. 9 However, the evidence was mixed as
certificate. 8 Due to the positive preliminary to whether the programs increased persistence,
findings, I-BEST has generated much measured within two years. Less
excitement within Washington’s community comprehensive learning community programs
college system and elsewhere. Other states had no substantive effects.
look at it as a model for constructing similar
programs, and major foundations such as the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have Summary and Conclusion
expressed interest in replicating it.
By stepping back and taking in the broad
Learning Communities picture of developmental education, one sees
an extensive system that involves thousands of
Description: Many community colleges dedicated counselors and professors carrying
operate learning communities to improve low out a crucial function. But at the same time,
rates of student success. Basic learning that system is characterized by uncertainty,
communities co-enroll a cohort of students lack of consensus on the definition of being
into several classes together. More college-ready or of the best strategies to
comprehensive versions include integrated pursue, high costs, and varied and often
curricula, collaboration among instructors, and unknown benefits. Many students who are
student services such as enhanced advising referred to developmental education never
and tutoring which are embedded into the enroll in it. Many who complete one remedial
course. course fail to show up for the next course in
the sequence. Overall, fewer than one half of
Value-Added: Learning communities provide students who are referred to developmental
academically low-performing students with education complete the recommended
the opportunity to enroll and complete courses sequence. What is more, many students who
together at the developmental level. Students do complete their developmental courses do
are grouped in small cohorts (a program in not go on to enroll in the associated college-
Kingsborough Community College places 25 level courses. The evaluation data concerning
first-year students in each cohort) and enroll in developmental education are equally
a developmental course, a course on another discouraging. Much of the research on
academic subject, and a one-credit college developmental education is suggestive but
orientation course. This is designed to help cannot reliably measure the effect of
students advance through developmental remediation or differentiate among different
education and into college-level courses within approaches. The handful of more definitive
a structure of cohort accountability. studies shows mixed results at best.
Population targeted/served: Learning This picture is further complicated by the lack
communities are designed to serve of consensus about what constitutes being
academically low-performing students who college-ready and by assessments that have
have been referred to developmental courses only a weak relationship with subsequent
upon arriving at an institution as first-time educational performance. This uncertainty is
students. Many of the students in these reflected in the bewildering plethora of
programs are also from low-income assessments and cutoff points used around the
backgrounds. country. And perhaps even more importantly,
there is no break or discontinuity in
Evidence of effectiveness: Researchers have assessment test scores that clearly
shown that more comprehensive programs led differentiates developmental from college-
to positive impacts on student engagement, level students. Many students who test out of
college persistence, credits earned, and remediation nonetheless struggle in their
50college courses, and educational outcomes for
such students are too low. Thus, a sharp colleges. Economics of Education Review, 29(2),
distinction in the services received by these 255–270.
6
two types of students is not justified. Jenkins, D., Speroni C., Belfield, C., Jaggars, S.
S., & Edgecombe, N. (2010). A model for
The picture of past and current developmental accelerating academic success of community
college remedial English students: Is it effective
education appears bleak. If students cannot get
and affordable? (CCRC Working Paper,
established in college with college-level forthcoming). New York: Columbia University,
courses, then they will certainly not be able to Community College Research Center.
graduate. But the initiatives that we have 7
Jenkins, D., Zeidenberg, M., & Kienzl, G. (2009).
described and many others currently on the Building bridges to postsecondary training for low-
drawing board and in the field have the skill adults: Outcomes of Washington State’s I-
potential to significantly improve the BEST program (CCRC Brief No. 42). New York:
effectiveness of these services. Finding better Columbia University, Teachers College,
ways to address the needs of underprepared Community College Research Center.
8
students is a necessity for meeting the Obama Zeidenberg, M., Cho, S-.W., & Jenkins, D.
(2010). Washington State’s Integrated Basic
administration’s goal of increasing the number
Education and Skills Training program (I-BEST):
of community college graduates by 5 million New evidence of effectiveness (CCRC Working
by 2020. Paper No. 20). New York: Columbia University,
Teachers College, Community College Research
Center.
9
Weiss, M., Visher, M., & Wathington, H. (2010).
Learning communities for students in
developmental reading: An impact study at
Endnotes Hillsborough Community College. New York:
National Center for Postsecondary Research.
1
Bailey, T. (2009). Challenge and opportunity:
Rethinking the role and function of developmental
education in community college. New Directions
for Community Colleges, 145, 11–30.
2
Attewell, P., Lavin, D., Domina, T., & Levey, T.
(2006). New evidence on college remediation.
Journal of Higher Education, 77(5), 886-924.
3
Calcagno, J. C., & Long, B. T. (2008). The impact
of postsecondary remediation using a regression
discontinuity approach: Addressing endogenous
sorting and noncompliance (NBER Working Paper
14194). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of
Economic Research. Martorell, P., & McFarlin, I.
J. (2009). Help or hindrance? The effects of college
remediation on academic and labor market
outcomes. Unpublished manuscript, RAND and
University of Michigan.
4
Bettinger, E. P., & Long, B. T. (2009).
Addressing the needs of underprepared students in
higher education: Does college remediation work?
Journal of Human Resources, 44(3), 736–771.
5
Bailey, T., Jeong, D.W., & Cho, S-.W. (2010).
Referral, enrollment, and completion in
developmental education sequences in community
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