Developmental Education of Kentucky’s Public Postsecondary Entering Class of 2004 Developmental Education Taskforce November 8, 2006

“Mandatory Placement Policy” 3 KAR 2:020, Section 6 Guidelines for admission to state-supported postsecondary education institutions in Kentucky. Requires assessment and placement of first- time degree-seeking students beginning fall 2001 System-wide standard mandates some form of developmental education or further placement testing for students who score eighteen (18) or above on a mathematics, English or reading subscale of the ACT assessment.

Underprepared Students by Subject, All KY Public College Entrants, 2004 Note: Underprepared students scored 17 or lower on an ACT subject exam or the equivalent on the SAT or an on-campus placement exam. Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

Developmental Education of the 2004 Entry Cohort Were students’ developmental needs met? –Extent to which students’ developmental needs were met during first two years –Method of meeting need How effective was developmental education? –Grade in first college-level math and English course –Retention to the second year –GPA at end of first year

Types of Developmental Education This report includes: –Developmental courses (not for college credit) –Supplemented college-level courses (for college credit) –Placements out of developmental education via institutional exams (some standardized, some not)

Types of Developmental Education Not all forms of developmental education are included in this report –Individual tutoring and other forms of individualized academic services have not been tracked by CPE to date –Not all institutions had complete data on supplemented college-level courses and institutional placement exams in their student information systems for the 2004 cohort

Developmental Education of Underprepared Students by Subject, 2004 Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included. Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

Developmental Education of Underprepared Students by Subject and Institution, 2004 Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included. Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

Effectiveness of Developmental Education Measures used: –Grade in first college-level math, English or social science course –Retention to the second year –GPA at end of first year Compare three categories of students: –Prepared students –Underprepared, developmental students –Underprepared students with no developmental coursework or placements

Effectiveness of Developmental Education Cautions: –Association, not causation –Categories lump together students with widely varying skill levels –Not all developmental services are included, would suppress association –Small numbers at some institutions –Not all institutions offer developmental courses in English and reading –Generalizing about grades and GPA

Students with Grades of C or Better in Their First College-Level Course in a Subject, by Preparation Level and Developmental Education, 2004 Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included. Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

System-Level Retention by Preparation Level and Developmental Education, 2004 Note: Includes retention to the second year at any public or independent postsecondary institution in Kentucky. Not all forms of developmental education are included. Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

Students' GPA at End of First Year, by Preparation Level and Developmental Education, 2004 Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included. Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

Success of Developmental Education Among underprepared students, developmental education was associated with better student outcomes Gap between prepared and underprepared students remained, system wide and at most institutions –Some institutions closed this gap Lack of association between developmental education and first college-level grades in English and reading was probably due to lower rates of developmental education and data gaps

Extent of Developmental Education Substantial numbers of underprepared students did not take developmental education or place out Not all forms of developmental education were included, but the gap was still quite large Best coverage is in math, English and reading lag Great variation by institution –Eastern and Morehead have very high rates in all subjects –Other institutions lag in one or more subjects