Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Weisburst, E., Daughetry, L., Miller, T., Martorell, P., & Coisairt, J. (2017). Innovative pathways through developmental education and postsecondary success: An examination of developmental math interventions across Texas. The Journal of Higher Education, 88(2), 183-209. doi: 10.1080/00221546.2016.1243956
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the impact of two developmental math courses on community college students’ rates of passing, enrollment, completion, persistence, transfer, and graduation. This summary focuses on the developmental math paired with student success course.
- This study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students who participated in the developmental math paired with student success course to those who did not. The study reported outcomes one semester, one year, and two years after students first enrolled in the courses.
- The study found that enrollment in the developmental math paired with student success course was associated with an increase in passing rates in the developmental math course after one semester, an increased likelihood of enrolling and passing the college-level math course after one semester and one year later, and an increased likelihood of persistence one and two years after initial enrollment. These outcomes were all statistically significant.
- The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the developmental math paired with student success course, but other factors might also have contributed.
Intervention Examined
Accelerated Developmental Education
Features of the Intervention
In 2009, Texas began reforms to developmental education through a pilot program administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). One format of the self-selected developmental math course included the pairing of a first level developmental math course with a simultaneous non-credit student success course. The student success course was designed to teach good study habits and non-cognitive skills. Although the developmental math paired with student success course was offered at 34 of the 50 Texas community college systems, the particulars of the student success courses varied by college. Some of the topics covered included time management, career planning, study habits, memory, learning styles, accessing learning resources, notetaking, exam prep, information processing, and goal setting. All of the colleges encouraged developmental education students to take the courses and some required it. The courses were usually face-to-face but had some computer lab work.
Features of the Study
The study was a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students taking developmental math paired with student success to students taking standard developmental math at community colleges across Texas. Outcomes of interest were passing the developmental math course, attempting and passing a first level college math course, persistence, transferring to a four-year school, and graduation. Study participants were first time college students who were enrolled in the first level of developmental math between Fall 2011 and Fall 2013. Participants also had to be enrolled in at least one face-to-face class during the semester and have a developmental placement and test score. The sample included 35,799 students who enrolled in developmental math paired with student success course (treatment group) and 52,622 who enrolled in regular developmental math course (comparison group). The authors received data from the THECB including demographic data, placement tests/scores, and longitudinal enrollment and course data. The authors examined differences between the groups using statistical models with controls for baseline characteristics, college, and cohort.
Findings
Education and skills gain
- The study found that enrollment in the developmental math paired with student success course was significantly related to passing rates in the developmental math course after one semester. Students in the developmental math course were 4% more likely to pass compared to students in the traditional courses.
- The study also found that enrollment in the developmental math paired with student success course was significantly related to enrollment and passing rates in college-level math courses. Students in the developmental math paired with student success course were 1% more likely to enroll and pass compared to students in the traditional course after one year, but there were no significant differences after two years.
- Compared to students in the traditional course, students in the developmental math paired with student success course had 4% higher persistence in year 1 and 2% higher persistence in year 2. This was statistically significant.
- The study found no significant relationships between enrollment in the developmental math paired with student success course and transfer rates to four-year schools or graduation rates.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
Although the authors used a well-implemented nonexperimental design, treatment group participants self-selected into the developmental math paired with student success course. Students who self-selected into the course could differ in observable and unobservable ways, affecting the outcomes of interest. Moreover, the study examined outcomes across the Texas community college system, with the authors noting that the implementation of the student success course varied across the Texas community college system. These differences in implementation also could have impacted the observed outcomes.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the developmental math paired with student success course, but other factors might also have contributed.