Developmental Education:

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Developmental Education  The P-16
ChallengeResearch indicates that more than 40
of incoming college freshmen are required to
enroll in remedial courses.  This session will
explore whether developmental education provides
a bridge to college level work or becomes a
barrier to college success.  Additionally, the
session will address how high schools, community
colleges and universities can work together to
improve outcomes in developmental education.

• Frank B. Ashley III, Ed.D.
• Interim Provost
• Texas AM University-Commerce

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Texas Higher Education Coordinating
BoardClosing the Gaps

• Participation and Success
• To achieve Texas bright future, enrollments in
  our colleges and universities must increase in
  the next 10 years by 600,000 students over
  todays 1.2 million. Since the expected
  increase based on past trends would be 300,000
  students, we have our work cut out for us. But
  enrolling more people is not enough they must
  graduate, too! Texas will not achieve the results
  it needs if students do not succeed in their
  higher education endeavors.
• THECB Website

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THECB

• More than 200,000 undergraduates in Texas'
  public colleges and universities are
• Under prepared for college-level coursework.
• The report focuses on 4 areas
• gt Under prepared students
• gt Program effectiveness
• gt Best practices
• gt Funding

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Just the Facts

• Nationally, more than 40 of students arrive on
  college campuses needing remedial work
• Only about half of the high-school graduates who
  enter college have pursued a college-preparatory
  curriculum
• Colleges and Universities spends billions of
  dollars a years on remedial education
• Source The Chronicle of Higher Education

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Developmental Education Statewide Data
Profile

• Provided by Cynthia Ferrell
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

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Underprepared Students
In Texas, over 40 of all new students were underprepared for college.
Source Fall 2002 FTIC, THECB TASP LBB Performance Measure FY2005
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Hispanic and African American Students are overrepresented in underprepared populations.
Source Fall 2002 FTIC, THECB TASP LBB Performance Measures FY2005
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The Blame Game orWhos Fault is It?
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Statewide, students who completed a more rigorous high school curriculum were half as likely to be underprepared for college.
RHSPRecommended or Distinguished High School Program MHSPMinimum High School Program Source Fall 2002 FTIC, THECB TASP LBB Performance Measures FY2005


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Academic Requirements in a Typical Class
Never Less than Once a Month A few times a month Weekly or more often
Write a 1-5 page paper H.S. College 19 16 48 44 24 32 9 8
Write a paper of more than 5 pages H.S. College 61 28 37 67 2 5 0 0
Make Presentation in Class H.S. College 11 21 59 62 24 14 6 3
Participate in Class discussions H.S. College 1 7 4 6 9 17 86 71
Work with other students on Projects H.S. College 4 20 29 36 36 26 31 18
Memorize facts, ideas or methods H.S. College 5 12 18 23 28 23 50 42
Source Chronicle of Higher Education (3/10/06)
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What Teachers and Professors Think
Subject Not well Prepared Somewhat well prepared Very well prepared Dont Know
Science 8 20 44 32 38 5 11 42 High School College
Math 9 32 46 32 37 4 7 32 High School College
Writing 10 44 49 47 36 6 4 3 High School College
Reading/ Understanding difficulty Materials 15 41 56 48 26 10 3 2 High School College
Source Chronicle of Higher Education (3/10/06)
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Program Effectiveness
Only 10 of all new underprepared students, who took developmental courses, gained college-readiness in their first year.
Source Fall 2002 FTIC, THECB TASP LBB Performance Measures FY2005
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The Good News for Texas
Almost 60 of all new under-prepared students persisted from Fall to Fall.
Source Fall 2002 FTIC, THECB TASP LBB Performance Measures FY2005
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The Bad News
One-fifth of all new underprepared students earn a certificate or degree within six years, compared to almost one-half of prepared students.
Source THECB Analysis of CB001, CBM002, and CBM009
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Best Practices
Based on a literature review of state and national best practices include
Institutional Commitment Centralization Academic Advising Alternative Interventions Program Evaluation
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Educational Policy InstituteDr.. Watson Scott
Swail

• Websites Educatoinalpolicy.org
• Studentretention.org

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Financial Issues Educational Legacy Attitude
Toward Learning Religious Background Maturity Soci
al Coping Skills Communication Skills Attitude
Toward Others Cultural Values Expectations Goal
Commitment Family Influence Peer Influence Social
Lifestyle
Academic Rigor Quality of Learning Aptitude Conten
t Knowledge Critical-Thinking Ability Technology
Ability Study Skills Learning Skills Time
Management Academic-Related Extracurricular
Activities
The Student Experience
Financial Aid
Recruitment Admissions
Academic Services
Student Services
Curriculum Instruction
Source (Dr. Scott Swail Educational Policy
Institute)
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Administrators Must ensure there is support for
the following

• Social and Academic Integration
• Peer relations
• Role Models and Mentors
• Academic Preparedness
• Campus Climate
• Diversity in Faculty, staff and students
• Nature and quality of interactions in and out of
  classroom
• Commitment to Education Goals and the Institution
• Tinto (1993)The stronger the goal and
  institutional commitment the more likely the
  student will graduate
• Financial Aid
• Low income and minority students who receive
  grants generally are more likely to persist that
  those who receive loans
• The shift in aid from, grants to loans and from
  need based to merit based programs adversely
  affects both enrollment and persistence for
  minority students.

Source Educational Policy Institute (3/06)
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Texas Education Agency P-16 Council
Developmental Education Subcommittee

• Membership
• Community Colleges 6
• Four Year Institutions 7
• Public Schools 2
• TEA 5
• Governmental Agencies 2
• Act/College Board - 1 each
• Governors Office 2
• Legislative Budget Board - 1
• Charge
• Development of recommendations to effectively
  address developmental education in Texas

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Making Developmental education a Priority for the
Campus

• Faculty
• Acceptance of Necessity for Developmental
  Education
• Training
• Regular faculty vs. adjuncts vs. Teaching
  Assistants
• Reward System
• Curriculum Alignment
• K-12 with College Courses
• Two-year with four-year
• Developmental Courses with next level courses
• Resources courses more expensive
• Smaller courses
• Tutoring
• Tools and software
• Minimal subvention
• Miscellaneous
• Faculty more concerned with teaching instead of
  learning
• Focus must be placed on learning outcomes

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Major Recommendations

• Texas increase the preparedness of developmental
  educators
• Developmental education certification and
  advanced degree programs
• Developmental education content standards be
  developed and include appropriate learning
  strategies
• Content standards employed to align learning
  objects in developmental education courses with
  credit bearing courses
• To facility transfer of developmental courses
  among institution of higher education
• Charge the Education Research Centers (HB1) with
  developing a developmental education research
  agenda to collect and disseminate relevant data
  through appropriate and rigorous research
  methods.

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Recommendations on Consent Agreement

• Adoption of statewide developmental education
  missions statement
• Adoption of statewide definition of developmental
  education
• Appointment of the Subcommittee as the Texas
  Success Initiative Advisory Committee
• Completion of a study on the costs associated
  with developmental education
• The inclusion of a developmental education
  accountable measure of underpreparded student
  completion of baccalaureate degrees for all
  institutions of higher education

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Keys to a Successful Developmental Education
Program
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25 Steps to Effective Developmental Education
(McClenny)

• Make Student success in Development education and
  institution wide commitment
• Establish a goal to ensure that student who come
  under-prepared are able to succeed at rates at
  least as high as those who came fully prepared.
• Carefully coordinate the various units involved
  in eh delivery of developmental courses
• Establish consistency between exit standards for
  developmental courses and entry standards for
  college-level courses.
• Careful selection of faculty and staff who work
  with developmental education is critical

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25 Best Practices (cont.)

• Provide professional development for all faculty
  and staff who work with under-prepared students
• Face the issue of mandatory assessment and
  placement, late registration, and simultaneous
  enrollment in college-level courses
• Recognize the importance of orientation or a
  college success course at the beginning of the
  developmental sequence
• Incorporate learning communities and other cohort
  experience
• Recognize that at-risk students need structure in
  courses and support services

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25 Best Practices (cont.)

• Integrate the work of tutors (peer and
  professional) with the carefully selected
  faculty members
• Recognize the potential of open or online labs
  (reading, writing, and math) to support
  instruction
• Use a variety of teaching methods (group
  projects, mediated learning, etc.)
• Recognize the potential for computer-based
  (assisted) instruction which can be matched with
  tutoring to deliver high tech-high touch
  services.
• Avoid confusion between language acquisition (ESL
  or ESOL) and the need for basis skills
  remediation among second language learners

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25 Best Practices (Cont.)

• Provide prompt feedback on student performance
  including frequent testing
• Develop links with GED providers (on or off
  campus) and foster transitions for students
• Review the work of Roueche, Boylan, McCabe,
  Tinto, and Adelman
• Expand and enhance the pre-enrollment (and
  concurrent) activity with the public schools
• Consider certification from National Association
  for Developmental Education

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Best Practices (cont.)

• Consider case management (advocate/coach for the
  most at-risk students
• Provide supplemental learning opportunities,
  particularly for skill practice
• Commit to program evaluation which includes
  cohort tracking
• Find the most appropriate computer-adaptive test
  for entry assessment and supplement with writing
  samples if resources permit
• Stress the development of critical think skills
  across the curriculum

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So how are we doing?
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Institutional Commitment
90 of institutions reported that developmental education is a part of their strategic plan.
State Wide
4-Year
2-Year
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Centralization
33 of institutions stated that their developmental courses are organized within a centralized unit.
State Wide
4- Year
2-Year
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Academic Advising
Almost 90 of institutions stated that academic advising is mandatory for all under-prepared students. (Down about 10 over 4 years)
State Wide
4-Year
2 - Year
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Alternative Interventions
Fewer than 30 of institutions reported offering Learning Communities for underprepared students.
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Alternative Interventions
Few institutions reported offering Paired or Linked Courses for underprepared students.
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Alternative Interventions
30 or fewer institutions reported offering Supplemental Instruction for underprepared students.
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Evaluation
Almost 70 of institutions stated that they evaluate the effectiveness of their developmental efforts and make improvements
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Where do we go from here?

• If you admit them, you should do everything
  necessary for them to be successful
• Dr. Raymund Paredes. TX Commissioner
  of Higher Education

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Funding
Developmental Education Appropriations
Over a six year period Developmental semester credit hours have increased by nearly 20 Developmental appropriations have decreased 5

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4- Year Universities

• Most have not had to address this in the past
• Requirements for Admissions
• Class ranks or SAT/ACT Scores
• Self-selection by Students
• Now part of THECB Accountability
• TEA Associate Commissioner for P-16
• P-16 Subcommittee on Developmental Education
• Two Key Issues
• Faculty
• Resources not in place for intervention
• Now looking to the Community Colleges for
  guidance

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Accountability Coming to your theater soon

• No Child left Behind?