GettingPastGo

The report is intended to help state and college leaders understand the latest research on assessments used for course placement , make sense of the contentious debate issues, and evaluate their own options for moving forward. (Jobs for the Future, August 2012)

Examines the experiences of Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia in developing statewide diagnostic assessments for course placement at their community colleges. Looks at the implications for California's community colleges, which have been charged with developing diagnostic exams. (EdSource and Learning Works, June 2012)

Finds that remediation does little to develop students' skills. But the study also finds little evidence that it discourages initial enrollment or persistence, except for students mis-assigned to remediation. Instead, the primary effect of remediation appears to be that students take remedial courses instead of college-level courses. (Judith Scott-Clayton and Olga Rodriguez, National Bureau of Economic Research, August 2012) Link to Abstract http://papers.nber.org/papers/w18328?utm_campaign=ntw&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ntw

Remedial courses fail to prepare students for college-level work, but the remedial track may serve other purposes, according to a new study. The research found that being placed into remediation is not as discouraging for students as conventional wisdom holds. Also, remedial courses' primary effect as a sorting mechanism for students shouldn't be overlooked. (Inside Higher Ed, 08/21/12)

Impact evaluations are important because they provide evidence about what works and does not work. It looks at what caused the improvement, or lack there of. This article from the Center for Effective Philanthropy talks about evaluation from the policy, practice, as well as philanthropy perspective.

Study on the implementation of directed self placement of writing students.

Discusses the failures of the current college remediation policies and programs, offers suggestions to fully prepare students for college, and suggests that co-requisite and additional academic supports could help unprepared students succeed. Link provides access to Full Report, Executive Summary, Data Tables and State Profiles. (Complete College America, April 2012)

Analyzes the predictive validity of commonly used placement assessments and finds that they are more predictive of success in math than in English, and more predictive of who is likely to do well in college-level coursework than of who is likely to fail. Also finds that using multiple measures could reduce remediation misplacements or rates. (Community College Research Center, February 2012))

Examines the validity of placement tests and high school information in predicting course grades and college performance. Finds that the ACCUPLACER and COMPASS placement tests do not yield strong predictions of how students will perform in college. In contrast, high school GPAs are useful for predicting many aspects of students' college performance. (Community College Research Center, February 2012)

Finds that students who enrolled in a student success course in the first semester were more likely to earn college-level credits and were more likely to persist to the second year. Also finds that students referred to remedial education were more likely to earn college-level credits if they enrolled in a student success course in their first term. (Community College Research Center, February 2012)

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

Report found that an increasing number of students who borrowed to finance their college are dropping out. Those who dropped out were far more likely to default on their loans, had higher unemployment rates and made less money than those who graduated. The trends were more pronounced in the for-profit sector. (Education Sector, February 2012)

News article references two new CCRC reports, which suggest that more than a quarter of students placed in remedial courses could pass the gateway course with a "B." The article also indicates that using high school GPA as the placement criterion would be as good of a predictor of college success as remedial assessments.

Explores 13 promising practices for strengthening community college student engagement and success. The practices include assessment and placement, support services, remedial education, academic alert and intervention, and others. (Center for Community College Student Engagement, February 2012 )

Community colleges can improve graduation rates by offering a course that teaches students how to navigate college with lessons on study skills, time management and how to find the bursar's office. Yet while "student success" courses are increasingly common, resistance remains strong at many community colleges. (Inside Higher Ed, 02/21/12)

Paper by Davis Jenkins finds that students should take their remedial education courses as part of a focused program of study, rather than as a stand alone academic activity.

The paper offers suggestions for ways community colleges can rethink their practices at key stages of students' engagement to substantially increase rates of program entry and completion. (Community College Research Center, January 2012)

Describes a set of core principles for effective faculty engagement in the institutional change process. Each principle includes recommendations and practices. (Achieving the Dream and Public Agenda, Fall 2011)

Urges states to track how well high school graduates perform in college so that the schools can better prepare students for and succeed in postsecondary education. States should track postsecondary enrollment, remediation and credit accumulation. Recommends four actions for states to take to track and publish these data. (J.B. Schramm and E. Kinney Zalesne, October 2011)

The annual report shows an increase in the percentage of students requiring remediation - possibly due to more students enrolling in college - but also higher retention rates for these students. The comprehensive report looks at remedial participation, success and cost, and also includes high school feedback reports. (Colorado Commission on Higher Education, February 2012)

This analysis of data from the DEI Self-Assessment Tool covers policy changes between 2009 and 2010, the first year of the initiative. Includes summaries from Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Texas. (Jobs for the Future, October 2011)