Report Reforming Math Pathways at California’s Community Colleges By Hans Johnson, Olga Rodriguez, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Bonnie Brooks Oct 23, 2017 The goal of developmental education (also known as remedial or basic skills education) is to help students acquire the skills they need to be successful in college courses, but its track record is poor. In fact, it is one of the largest impediments to student success in California’s community colleges. Many students do need additional work to be ready for college, particularly in math. But every year hundreds of thousands of students are deemed underprepared for college and placed into developmental courses from which relatively few emerge. Throughout the state, community colleges are revising assessment and placement procedures to ensure that students who are ready for college are not placed in developmental education. And, given the high failure rates in traditional developmental courses, colleges are also experimenting with alternative curricular approaches.
blog post California Community Colleges Are Transforming Developmental Education By Marisol Cuellar Mejia Sep 27, 2018 California's community colleges are in the midst of a major transformation of developmental education. Early evidence shows that at least one element of these reforms is promising.
blog post Video: Improving English Courses at California’s Community Colleges By Abby Cook Mar 5, 2018 California’s community colleges are in the midst of numerous reforms to improve developmental—or remedial—English. A new PPIC report looks at effectiveness of some of these reforms.
Report What Happens When Colleges Broaden Access to Transfer-Level Courses? Evidence from California’s Community Colleges By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson Oct 7, 2019 California community colleges that have significantly expanded access to transfer-level courses—important steps toward degrees and transfers to four-year schools—have seen increased student success, particularly in English. Prompted by a new law (AB 705), placement and curricular reforms are now being enacted system-wide; it will be important to monitor their impact.
Report Reforming English Pathways at California’s Community Colleges By Hans Johnson, Olga Rodriguez, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Bonnie Brooks Feb 27, 2018 California’s community colleges are in the midst of numerous reforms to improve developmental (also known as remedial or basic skills) education. Developmental education is supposed to help prepare students for college work, but it has long been an obstacle to student success: most students in developmental courses never go on to complete a college-level course in English or math.
Report Preparing Students for Success in California’s Community Colleges By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez Nov 9, 2016 Community colleges identify 80 percent of incoming students as underprepared for college-level work. Fewer than half of these students advance to and succeed in a college course (44% in English and 27% in math). Concerns about poor outcomes have led to institutional reforms. This research was supported with funding from The Sutton Family Fund.
blog post Equity and Remedial Education at Community Colleges By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez Feb 8, 2017 Remedial education in community colleges—which is intended to help students succeed—may actually be contributing to college achievement and completion gaps.
blog post Video: Broadening Access to Transfer-Level Courses at California’s Community Colleges By Lynette Ubois Oct 16, 2019 At an event in Sacramento, researcher Marisol Cuellar Mejia and an expert panel discuss a new PPIC report on how large-scale placement and curricular reforms at community colleges are increasing student success.
blog post Community College Placement: Lessons from North Carolina By Olga Rodriguez Oct 25, 2016 As California’s community colleges reexamine the way they assess and place students in developmental—or remedial—courses, North Carolina’s reforms may offer guidance.
