ERIC ED521311: Developmental Education. Data Notes. Volume 1, Number 6, July/August 2006

2006·0.17 MB·English

by  ERIC

Keeping Informed about Achieving the Dream Data
Vol. 1, No. 6 July/August 2006
What Is a Cohort? Developmental Education successfully complete their first developmental
education course with a grade of C or better are
A cohort is a group of The overarching goal of Achieving the Dream more likely to fulfill their developmental educa-
people studied over time. is to increase student success, particularly for tion requirements within one year.2
The individuals in the
low-income students and students of color.
group have at least one Thirty-five of the 58 Achieving the Dream insti-
One of the initiative’s pathways to this goal is
statistical factor — such tutions have participated in the initiative long
to increase student success in developmental
as when they started
enough to provide cohort data. Initiativewide
coursework.
college — in common.
data indicate that Achieving the Dream students
The Achieving the According to the 2005 Community College follow the same trends found in the research.
Dream 2002 student Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), about The following analysis examines the percent-
cohort is the group half of first-time community college students are age of Achieving the Dream students requiring
of credential-seeking underprepared for college. Most of these stu- developmental education, their enrollment pat-
students that attended dents are referred to developmental education terns and successes in developmental course-
Achieving the Dream courses during their first term. Indeed, 53 per- work during their first term, and second-term
institutions for the first cent of CCSSE respondents had taken, or were persistence.
time in fall 2002. This
planning to take, at least one developmental
cohort will be tracked
education class. Many underprepared students The Scope of Developmental Needs
until 2008.
do not finish their first semester at college, let
Tracking a cohort over alone return for a second. In addition, the more Figure 1 displays the percentage of students in
time makes it possible developmental courses or subjects a student is the 2002 Achieving the Dream cohort who were
to compare the progress referred to, the more likely he or she is to drop referred to developmental education by race/
and outcomes of differ- out. Furthermore, close to half of the students ethnicity.3 Eighty-two percent of students in
ent groups of students referred to developmental education classes do the cohort were referred to developmental
(e.g., groups defined by
not even attempt them.1 education. Students may have been referred
race, age or other demo-
graphic characteristics) “
and to determine if there Pass rates in college-level math and Figure 1. Percentage of the 2002 Achieving the Dream cohort
referred to developmental education by race/ethnicity*
are gaps in achieve- English courses for students complet-
ment among groups of ing developmental classes are as high,
interest. 100% 94%
or higher, than those for students who 90%
were not referred to developmental 90% 79% 77% 86% 82%
classes.” 80%
70%
Failure to complete developmental education 60%
classes is related to poor persistence. Students 50%
who don’t successfully complete developmental 40%
classes are unlikely to stay in college and earn 30%
a degree or certificate. On the flip side, student 20%
success in developmental education has a posi-
10%
tive correlation with future success in credential-
0%
bearing coursework. Pass rates in college-level Native Asian/Pacific Black, White, Hispanic Total
American Islander non-Hispanic non-Hispanic
math and English courses for students complet-
ing developmental classes are as high, or higher, *These data reflect 77 percent of the 2002 Achieving the Dream
than those for students who were not referred cohort of students; colleges could not provide developmental educa-
to developmental classes. Further, students who tion data for the remaining 23 percent.
(continued on next page)
1Community College Leadership Program. Engaging Students, Challenging the Odds. Community College Survey of Student
Engagement: The University of Texas at Austin, 2005. Available: http://www.ccsse.org/publications/CCSSE_reportfinal2005.pdf.
2Boylan, H.R. and Saxon, D.P. Outcomes of Remediation. Prepared for the League for Innovation in the Community College.
Available: http://www.ncde.appstate.edu/reserve_reading/Outcomes_of_Remediation.htm.
3These data reflect 77 percent of the 2002 Achieving the Dream cohort of students; colleges could not provide developmental
education data for the remaining 23 percent.
Figure 2. Percentage of the 2002 Achieving the Dream cohort about one-quarter of the students needing
referred to developmental education that attempted and developmental coursework did not attempt such
completed at least one developmental course during their first coursework during their first term. The percent-
term, by race/ethnicity age of students attempting developmental classes
varied by race/ethnicity. Eighty-two percent of
100% Attempted Completed Hispanic students and 79 percent of black stu-
dents attempted developmental education during
90%
82%
79% their first term, both above the average. About
80% 76% 76%
71% three-quarters (76 percent) of Native American
70% 64%
students attempted, the same as the average.
58%
60% 54% 50% 54% 51% 54% Less than three-quarters (71 percent) of white
50% students attempted developmental classes, which
40% was below the average.
30%
Of referred students, 54 percent successfully
20%
completed developmental education classes (with
10%
at least a 2.0, or a Pass) during their first term of
0% enrollment. Completions also varied by race/eth-
Native Asian/Pacific Black, White, Hispanic Total
American Islander non-Hispanic non-Hispanic nicity: 58 percent of Hispanic students referred to
developmental education completed at least one
to as many as three subjects of developmental developmental education class during their first
education at three or more levels of coursework. term, which was more than the average. Fifty-
With a 94 percent referral rate, Native American four percent of both black and Native American
students were most likely to be referred to devel- students completed at least one developmental
opmental education. Ninety percent of black education class during their first term, the same
students were referred, followed by 86 percent percentage as the average. The percentage of
of Hispanic students and 77 percent of white white students completing at least one class was
students. lower than the average, 51 percent.
Developmental Education Attempts Second-Term Persistence
and Completions
Second-term persistence varied widely by whether
students were referred to developmental educa-
Of students who were referred, approximately
tion and completed developmental classes during
three-quarters (76 percent) attempted some type
their first term, were referred and did not com-
of developmental education during their first
plete, or were not referred. Students who were
term of enrollment (Figure 2). Consequently,
(continued on next page)
Figure 3. Percentage of the 2002 Achieving the Dream cohort persisting to the second term by developmental education referral
and completion and race/ethnicity
100%
90% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86%
80% 75% 74% 75% 72% 73%
70% 64% 66%
60% 54% 55% 57% 56% 57%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Native American Asian/ Pacific Islander Black, non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Hispanic Total
Referred, completed at least one developmental education class
Referred, did not complete any developmental education classes
Not referred
This figure reports the percentage of students in each group that persisted. Using all students (Total) as an example, 86 percent of all students who
were referred to and completed at least one developmental education class persisted, while 14 percent did not persist. Fifty-seven percent of all
students who were referred to developmental education and did not complete any developmental education classes persisted, while 43 percent did
not persist.
2 Data Notes | July/August 2006
referred to and completed developmental classes developmental education classes returned for the
attained the highest persistence rates, and there following term than students who did not com-
was no difference by race/ethnicity — 86 percent plete any developmental education classes.
of these students persisted to the second term
(Figure 3). Further, students who were referred Among students who were referred to and
but did not complete developmental classes had completed developmental education, persistence
the lowest second-term persistence rate — 57 per- to the second term was the same for all stu-
cent. Of those students not referred, 73 percent dents regardless of race/ethnicity. This could be
persisted to the second term. because successful completion of developmental
education coursework levels the playing field.
What Does This Mean? Even though students come to college with dif-
ferent levels of academic preparation and varying
More than 80 percent of students in institutions personal challenges, developmental education
participating in the Achieving the Dream initia- helps underprepared students catch up, so out-
tive were referred to some type of developmental come measures can begin to converge.
education.4 Of those referred, three-quarters “
attempted developmental education during their These findings reinforce the importance
first term, and approximately half successfully of students’ completing developmental
completed some type of developmental educa- education classes.”
tion. The percentage of white students attempt-
ing and completing developmental education
These findings reinforce the importance of
during the first term was lower than that of
students’ completing developmental education
black, Hispanic or Native American students.
classes. Colleges should examine their own data
More research needs to be conducted to help
to identify groups of students that would benefit
explain this finding as there could be relevant
from early intervention to increase completion
academic, financial or demographic issues related
rates of developmental education classes during
to the developmental education coursework of
the first year of attendance. Strategies initiated
white students.
by Achieving the Dream colleges to facilitate
“ student success in developmental education
Among students who were referred to
coursework, especially early in students’ aca-
Data Notes is a monthly
and completed developmental educa-
demic careers, are likely to increase the chances publication that examines data
tion, persistence to the second term was of future academic success. to illuminate the challenges
the same for all students regardless of facing Achieving the Dream
race/ethnicity.” Achieving the Dream’s Database colleges and to chart their
progress over time.
Students referred to developmental education Achieving the Dream colleges can use the data-
Achieving the Dream: Com-
who completed at least one developmental class base created by JBL Associates to replicate the munity Colleges Count is a
during their first term were more likely to return analysis presented here for their own institutions. national initiative to help more
the next term than those who did not complete This analysis might help colleges identify areas community college students,
any developmental education classes. Indeed, of their curricula or groups of students needing particularly students of color
nearly 30 percent more students completing special attention. n and low-income learners,
succeed. The initiative works
on multiple fronts — including
efforts at community colleges
and in research, public engage-
ment and public policy —
and emphasizes the use of
data to drive change. For
more information, visit
www.achievingthedream.org.
Data Notes is written by Sue
Clery, senior research associate
at JBL Associates, Inc., and
designed by KSA-Plus Com-
munications, Inc.
If you have questions regarding
this issue, or if there is a topic
you would like to see addressed
in Data Notes, please contact Sue
Clery at [email protected].
This report uses the May 30,
4These data reflect 77 percent of the 2002 Achieving the Dream cohort of students; colleges could not provide developmental educa-
2006, version of the Achieving
tion data for the remaining 23 percent.
the Dream database.
Data Notes | July/August 2006 3