Background on Developmental Education

Ruth Dalrymple and Marilyn MaysRuth Dalrymple and Marilyn Mays

Texas Collaborative for Teaching Texas Collaborative for Teaching ExcellenceExcellence

June 12 – 13, 2003June 12 – 13, 2003

The Kellogg Institute

Held each summerHeld each summer 4 week seminar4 week seminar Appalachian State UniversityAppalachian State University Boone, North CarolinaBoone, North Carolina

Why Appalachian State University? It is the home of the National Center for It is the home of the National Center for

Developmental Education.Developmental Education. It publishes several developmental education It publishes several developmental education

journals.journals. Its faculty includes some of the leading Its faculty includes some of the leading

researchers in the field of developmental researchers in the field of developmental education, including Dr. Hunter Boylan, Dr. education, including Dr. Hunter Boylan, Dr. Barbara Bonham, Dr. “Bunk” Spann, and Sandy Barbara Bonham, Dr. “Bunk” Spann, and Sandy Drewes.Drewes.

Question: What was the first institution of higher What was the first institution of higher

education in the United States?education in the United States? HarvardHarvard

In what year was Harvard founded?In what year was Harvard founded? 16361636

Why does this matter?Why does this matter? Harvard provided developmental Harvard provided developmental

education for its first students.education for its first students.

We are not the new kids on the block As soon as the first American college was As soon as the first American college was

founded, we had our first admissions standards.founded, we had our first admissions standards.

And as soon as we had our first admissions And as soon as we had our first admissions standards, we had students who couldn’t meet standards, we had students who couldn’t meet them.them.

Such students were tutored until they qualified.Such students were tutored until they qualified.

Developmental History Our first colleges were established to train Our first colleges were established to train

clergymen. These students needed remediation in clergymen. These students needed remediation in Greek and Latin.Greek and Latin.

In the early 1800’s colleges began training for In the early 1800’s colleges began training for merchants and tradesmen,and expanded the pool merchants and tradesmen,and expanded the pool of engineering , agricultural, and scientific talent of engineering , agricultural, and scientific talent in the developing nation. Anyone who had the in the developing nation. Anyone who had the money to attend college could, without regard to money to attend college could, without regard to prior preparation.prior preparation.

Developmental History In the last half of the 1800’s colleges for In the last half of the 1800’s colleges for

women, for African-Americans, agricultural women, for African-Americans, agricultural colleges, and technical colleges expanded.colleges, and technical colleges expanded.

So did the number of college students who So did the number of college students who were underprepared.were underprepared.

Developmental History In 1907, “Ivy League” admissions officers In 1907, “Ivy League” admissions officers

agreed that more than half of their students agreed that more than half of their students had not met their own basic admissions had not met their own basic admissions standards and needed remediation.standards and needed remediation.

Developmental History

1944: Veterans Adjustment Act 1944: Veterans Adjustment Act (the GI Bill)(the GI Bill)

1963: the Civil Rights Act1963: the Civil Rights Act

1965: the Higher Education Act1965: the Higher Education Act

Developmental Education To be successful, students had to To be successful, students had to

master a fairly advanced level of master a fairly advanced level of reading, writing, language skills, reading, writing, language skills, mathematics, and study skills.mathematics, and study skills.

They also had to develop new attitudes They also had to develop new attitudes toward learning and scholarship.toward learning and scholarship.

Developmental EducationNCES: More than 80% of all American NCES: More than 80% of all American

colleges and universities offer some type of colleges and universities offer some type of remedial or developmental education.remedial or developmental education.

Myth: developmental education Myth: developmental education lowerslowers standards.standards.

Truth: developmental education Truth: developmental education maintainsmaintains or or raisesraises standards. standards.

9 Principles for Developmental Education

-- Dr. Ed Morante1.1. Many students enter our colleges Many students enter our colleges

inadequately prepared to handle college inadequately prepared to handle college level courses.level courses.

2.2. Basic skills are needed by all who come to Basic skills are needed by all who come to college without regard to program or college without regard to program or major.major.

3.3. All “normal” students are capable of All “normal” students are capable of learning these basic skills.learning these basic skills.

9 Principles for Developmental Education

-- Dr. Ed Morante

4.4. The “open door policy” means both access The “open door policy” means both access and quality.and quality.Corollary: Corollary: BothBoth access and quality are access and quality are achievable.achievable.

5.5. Retention is essential for both access and Retention is essential for both access and quality.quality.

9 Principles for Developmental Education

-- Dr. Ed Morante6.6. Developmental education bridges the gap Developmental education bridges the gap

between the proficiencies of entering students between the proficiencies of entering students and providing both access and quality.and providing both access and quality.

Corollary: The reverse is also true, without a Corollary: The reverse is also true, without a comprehensive, effective, developmental comprehensive, effective, developmental education program, college will lower standards education program, college will lower standards (or, less likely, be a “revolving door” (or, less likely, be a “revolving door” institution).institution).

9 Principles for Developmental Education

-- Dr. Ed Morante7.7. Successful completion of high school Successful completion of high school

(grades) does not necessarily indicate (grades) does not necessarily indicate proficiency.proficiency.

8.8. The “right to fail” is pernicious for The “right to fail” is pernicious for entering students.entering students.

9.9. There will always be a need for There will always be a need for developmental education.developmental education.

A Baker’s Dozen of Myths and Concerns 1.1. Access vs. QualityAccess vs. Quality 2.2. Right to FailRight to Fail 3.3. All or noneAll or none 4.4. Disadvantaged or Minority StudentsDisadvantaged or Minority Students 5.5. Not fair to studentsNot fair to students 6.6. Either you have it or you don’tEither you have it or you don’t 7.7. `We don’t have these students`We don’t have these students

A Baker’s Dozen of Myths and Concerns 8.8. Good grades in high school indicate Good grades in high school indicate

proficiencyproficiency 9.9. Marking on the curve is good education.Marking on the curve is good education. 10.10. Pay twicePay twice 11.11. Students will drop out.Students will drop out. 12.12. Faculty will lose jobsFaculty will lose jobs 13.13. Standards will be lowered.Standards will be lowered.

Why we do it . . .““The strength of American The strength of American

higher education is in its higher education is in its commitment to providing a commitment to providing a

second, third, and even fourth second, third, and even fourth chance to acquire needed chance to acquire needed knowledge and skills. . .”knowledge and skills. . .”

McCabe & Day, 1999McCabe & Day, 1999

How we do it . . .

You get more bang for the buck.You get more bang for the buck.

““Remedial education is the Remedial education is the nation’s most cost effective nation’s most cost effective

educational programs.”educational programs.”McCabe & DayMcCabe & Day

Interesting Information . . . 71% of colleges offer institutional credit for 71% of colleges offer institutional credit for

developmental coursesdevelopmental courses 13% of colleges offer 13% of colleges offer nono credit for credit for

developmental coursesdevelopmental courses 11% of colleges offer elective credit for 11% of colleges offer elective credit for

developmental coursesdevelopmental courses 5% of colleges offer subject degree credit 5% of colleges offer subject degree credit

for developmental coursesfor developmental courses

Expectancy for Success““Research supports that successful Research supports that successful

students expend enormous amounts of students expend enormous amounts of effort related to their expectation that effort related to their expectation that this effort will result in desired this effort will result in desired outcomes.”outcomes.” -Bloom, Gardner, Bloom -Bloom, Gardner, Bloom

This is called self-efficacy.This is called self-efficacy.

Self EsteemThis is the extent to which an individual This is the extent to which an individual

believes himself to be capable, significant, believes himself to be capable, significant, successful, and worthy. successful, and worthy. -Coopersmith-Coopersmith

Many (probably most) developmental Many (probably most) developmental education students have low self esteem and education students have low self esteem and high anxiety.high anxiety.

Fears are often mistaken for low ability.Fears are often mistaken for low ability.

Research Findings

States are increasingly requiring States are increasingly requiring accountability for developmental education. accountability for developmental education. - Russell, 1997 - Russell, 1997

Only 14% of community colleges and 25% Only 14% of community colleges and 25% of universities evaluate developmental of universities evaluate developmental education systematically. education systematically. - Boylan, Bliss, and Bonham, 1977- Boylan, Bliss, and Bonham, 1977

Do you know?

In most colleges, what percent of academic In most colleges, what percent of academic courses (such as English, History, etc.) do courses (such as English, History, etc.) do evaluations?evaluations? 0%0%

(maybe 5%)(maybe 5%) In general, only developmental classes are In general, only developmental classes are

under the scrutiny of constant evaluationsunder the scrutiny of constant evaluations

Do you know?

Doing evaluations getsDoing evaluations gets

institutional support for the program.institutional support for the program. Evaluation data should be shared withEvaluation data should be shared with

faculty, staff, students, businesses, etc.faculty, staff, students, businesses, etc. Course evaluations should never be used Course evaluations should never be used

forfor

punitive actions.punitive actions.

Do you know?

Much of what we teach may not catch up to Much of what we teach may not catch up to a student fora student for

6 months6 months

1 year1 year

or longeror longer

Think about it……………

Amateurs are not accountable.Amateurs are not accountable.

Professionals are.Professionals are.

Consider this . . . . . . . . . .

Access to higher education should be Access to higher education should be available to all students regardless of available to all students regardless of incoming skill level. These students incoming skill level. These students should be encouraged to reach their full should be encouraged to reach their full potential.potential.

Consider this . . . . . . . . . .

Developmental education must be seen as Developmental education must be seen as an integral part of the college’s strategic an integral part of the college’s strategic plan, and supported by administration, plan, and supported by administration, faculty, staff, students, and community.faculty, staff, students, and community.

SHEEO State Higher Education Executive OfficersState Higher Education Executive Officers Sends information to all state Coordinating Sends information to all state Coordinating

BoardsBoards Provides newslettersProvides newsletters Go to Go to www.sheeo.orgwww.sheeo.org to get on mail list to get on mail list Keep up with the same information the Keep up with the same information the

Coordinating Board receivesCoordinating Board receives In Texas, THECB director is Ron BrownIn Texas, THECB director is Ron Brown

Interesting statistics

There is a 1 to 1 correlation between There is a 1 to 1 correlation between income and SAT scoresincome and SAT scores

About 40% of developmental students work About 40% of developmental students work 30+ hours each week.30+ hours each week.

About 70% of developmental faculty are About 70% of developmental faculty are womenwomen

About 60% of all college faculty are menAbout 60% of all college faculty are men

Pass rates If a student was If a student was notnot in class, the instructor in class, the instructor

should not be held accountable for his/her should not be held accountable for his/her not passing.not passing.

If we are measuring how effective the If we are measuring how effective the teaching is, then we must measure only teaching is, then we must measure only those students actually taught.those students actually taught.

If we measure how many students we drop If we measure how many students we drop or who withdraw, then we must measure or who withdraw, then we must measure differently.differently.

Benchmarks for Measuring Dev Education Outcomes Pass Rates in Developmental CoursesPass Rates in Developmental Courses Pass rates in Post-Developmental Education Pass rates in Post-Developmental Education

Curriculum CoursesCurriculum Courses Graduation Rates for Developmental Graduation Rates for Developmental

StudentsStudents (handout)(handout)

Experts agree

Retention rates are a not a good measure of Retention rates are a not a good measure of how well we are teaching (doing our job).how well we are teaching (doing our job).

Retention from year to year, not a good Retention from year to year, not a good measure for community collegesmeasure for community colleges

Retention from year to year, good for a Retention from year to year, good for a residential universityresidential university

Statistic

Most meaningful / significant statistic is the Most meaningful / significant statistic is the postpost – developmental education pass rates. – developmental education pass rates.

Example:Example: 100 students in math 90100 students in math 90

40 take college algebra40 take college algebra

30 pass college algebra30 pass college algebra

pass rate is 75% (30 out of 40)pass rate is 75% (30 out of 40)

not 30% (30 out of 100)not 30% (30 out of 100)

Outstanding d.e. programs

CQIN (Continuous Quality Improvement CQIN (Continuous Quality Improvement Network) listed the top 5 college Network) listed the top 5 college developmental education programs in the developmental education programs in the country.country.

Outstanding d.e. programs Received 80 nominationsReceived 80 nominations 60 provided data60 provided data Surveys cut the list to 30Surveys cut the list to 30 These were ratedThese were rated List was cut to 18List was cut to 18 More detailed surveys cut the list to 9More detailed surveys cut the list to 9 Top 5 chosenTop 5 chosen All 5 colleges were visitedAll 5 colleges were visited

These colleges are

Durham Technical C C, Durham, NCDurham Technical C C, Durham, NC General College University of General College University of

Minnesota, Minneapolis, MNMinnesota, Minneapolis, MN Hudson Valley C C, Troy, NYHudson Valley C C, Troy, NY Oakton C C, Des Plaines, ILOakton C C, Des Plaines, IL Richland College, Dallas, TXRichland College, Dallas, TX

Outstanding d.e. programs

““An innovation or ‘best practice’ cannot be An innovation or ‘best practice’ cannot be replicated on your campus, it can only be replicated on your campus, it can only be adapted to fit your campus.”adapted to fit your campus.”

Graduation Statistics

On average, only 10% of African-American On average, only 10% of African-American students who place into d.e. courses earn students who place into d.e. courses earn AA degrees within 4 years.AA degrees within 4 years.

For Hispanics, this is only 11%.For Hispanics, this is only 11%.

For Anglos, this is 20+%.For Anglos, this is 20+%.