Group items tagged

Automated essay scoring (AES) has many benefits such as immediate grading, reliable reporting, and diagnostic feedback. While automation poses certain operational and technical challenges, more states are adopting AES for both formative and summative assessments. This presentation presents empirical data from the state of West Virginia online writing assessments on the reliability and validity of machine scores.

Report examines the first 26 colleges to join Achieving the Dream. The colleges developed more sophisticated methods for data analysis and efficient systems for monitoring their efforts to improve student achievement. Conversely, about one-fifth of the colleges still struggled to implement many of the initiative's recommended practices, hindered primarily by weak institutional research capacity. (MDRC and Community College Research Center, February 2011)

Article mentions a task force's recommendations that cover P-20 issues and include mandating a high school diploma or equivalency for everyone under age 21. The recommendations aim to better prepare students for success in college or careers. A final report is due to the legislature by April 1. (Anchorage Daily News, 03/10/11)

From CLASP: Beyond Basic Skills describes strategies that can be used to strengthen connections between basic skills education and postsecondary education to help lower-skilled adults and out-of-school youth attain the postsecondary credentials they need to advance in the labor market. This includes state-level innovations such as: instructional strategies that provide a strong foundation in occupational skills required for jobs in the local economy; acceleration strategies that help students progress further and more quickly in education and training programs in a shorter period of time than traditional approaches, and funding formulas, assessment policies, and other administrative policies that support a statewide vision to provide adults and youth with pathways to better jobs through postsecondary education. The report also includes examples of states and local institutions that are effectively implementing one or more of these innovations.

Report from CLASP for policymakers on how to link basic skills instruction to postsecondary attainment

The pdf download of the report from the McGraw-Hill Research Foundation.

This is the first year report of a three year longitudinal study by the American Council on Education to understand the effects of obtaining the GED on postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion. This study supports transitioning adult learners without a high school diploma to the GED credential and into postsecondary with accelerated learning. This first year study used the information gathered at the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). The NSC holds 93 percent of postsecondary student enrollment. The study focused on adults who acquired the GED credential in 2003. The pilot study founded credential recipients had a significantly higher enrollment rate into postsecondary than non-passers; females enrolled more than males; there is no significant ethnic difference between enrollees and non-enrollees.

Positive outcomes have been reported for university preparation courses for students without disabilities. Little is known about whether these courses can offer the same benefit to students with learning disabilities and whether the inclusion of psychosocial factors, in addition to academic skills, would benefit both groups.

"As many as four out of five community college students in the United States want to transfer to a four-year institution so they can obtain a bachelor's degree, according to a report released Thursday by the College Board."

The Undereducated American is a report from the Center on Education and the Worforce that highlights how America has not been producing enough highly skilled college-educated persons for the workforce.

Urges policymakers to focus the mission of community colleges in three core areas: basic skills education, career technical education and preparation for transfer to four-year universities. The Commission called for shifting adult basic education from the state education department to the community college system, and for giving more authority to the chancellor to oversee the campuses. (Little Hoover Commission, February 2012) Link to executive summary: http://www.lhc.ca.gov/studies/210/Executive%20Summary.pdf

Documents the partnerships between high schools and community colleges and provides evidence of the early assessment and intervention programs to reduce college remediation. The pilot programs are part of the Illinois College and Career Act.

Paper on the early results and plans for the Statway initiative supported by the Carnegie Foundation on the Advancement of Teaching. The paper was prepared for the National Center for Postsecondary Research Conference on Developmental Education

This resources was shared by Uri Treisman at the Workshop on Remedial Education in Nashville, TN on October 5-7

Completion status and outcomes

The Louisiana Postsecondary Education Review Commission's final report with recommendations on reforming the state's higher education system and increasing graduation rates to include admission standards, performance funding and developmental education reform.

The Office of Research and Policy Analysis (RPA) is the research arm of the Board of Regents, analyzing higher education and related state and national policy issues and their impact on the University System of Georgia. Reports in this section analyze success of students in developmental education courses as a means for evaluating their "Learning Support" Programs

Accountability report on performance measures, referred to as core indicators of success, within NC community college system. (PDF document)

Montana report for the Making Opportunity Affordable project. Addresses several issues to include remediation and developmental education participation.

Studies the impact of student success courses on student persistence, completion and transfer. The report finds some impact, but was unclear about which characteristics of these courses were most beneficial. Researchers examined data from Florida's community college system. (Matthew Zeidenberg, Davis Jenkins and Juan Calcagano; Community College Research Center, 2007)

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) is engaged in a strategic planning process to improve performance. A key objective is to encourage colleges to improve retention and academic success for unprepared students. This report presents the main findings from a study of VCCS developmental education and outlines suggestions to attain the strategic plan goals. (Josipa Roksa, Davis Jenkins, Shanna Smith Jaggars, Matthew Zeidenberg & Sung-Woo Cho, Community College Research Center, November 2009)

Examines the current policy challenges that impede access to postsecondary education for adult students who require English language training, GED or Adult Basic Education training. The report offers several recommendations to improve adult basic education and track student results.(Julie Strawn, Center for Law and Social Policy, National Commission on Adult Literacy, 2007)