Outcome Trajectories of Developmental Students in Community Colleges. (April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bremer, Christine D.; Center, Bruce A.; Opsal, Christen L.; Medhanie, Amanuel; Jang, Yoo Jeong; Geise, Aaron C.
• Other Names: Silver-Pacuilla Heidi guest-editor.; Perin Dolores guest-editor.; Miller Brett guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Community college review. Volume 41:Number 2(2013)
• Page Start: 154
• Page End: 175
• Publication Date: 2013-04
• Subjects: developmental education -- predictor variables -- student outcomes -- student retention -- student support services; Community colleges -- United States -- Periodicals; 378.15430973
• DOI: 10.1177/0091552113484963
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0091-5521

Abstract

This analysis explores student outcomes related to taking developmental English (i.e., reading and/or writing) and math classes in three community colleges in three different states, using institutional data from 7, 898 students who began college in the fall of 2009 (Cohort 1) or fall 2010 (Cohort 2). We examine the outcome trajectories of students at each college, considering their enrollment in developmental courses in their first term at college as well as other variables. Several factors helped students persist into the second term of college, and a subset of these was also significantly related to continued persistence, graduation, and higher overall grade point average (GPA). Older students, White/non-Hispanic students, and occupational students were more likely to graduate. These groups, and women, also had higher cumulative GPAs. Math ability at the time of college entrance was a powerful predictor of student success. The utility of reading placement as a predictor, and the utility of developmental English, reading, and writing (DERW) classes as an intervention, were both limited to retention into the second term and/or second year. Financial aid and tutoring were much more clearly related to student success than was developmental coursework.