| Today's colleges and universities are | | | | significant developmental education programs |
| changing with the times. Programs change as | | | | out of necessity. Many students do not take |
| do the ways that students are taught. However | | | | one single developmental class. They often |
| there is one growing program on almost every | | | | end up taking classes in all three |
| public college campus that administrators are | | | | developmental areas -- reading, writing and |
| not proud to point out to distinguished | | | | math. In addition, some of these students end |
| visitors -- developmental education. This | | | | up taking more than one semester worth of |
| article will address the good, the bad, and | | | | developmental work in these areas. Sometimes |
| the ugly truth about developmental education | | | | because their need for remediation requires a |
| classes. | | | | multi-course sequence, but also because they |
| | | | do not pass the remedial courses the first |
| There are many ways that developmental | | | | time they attempt them. This places a |
| education classes are good for both students | | | | significant financial burden on many students |
| and the institutions they serve. | | | | and their families as these courses lengthen |
| Developmental education classes help students | | | | the time required to earn a degree -- often |
| who are not prepared for college-level work | | | | adding at least a year onto the time |
| in reading, writing and math develop the | | | | necessary to earn a four-year degree. Most |
| necessary skills to succeed in college. Some | | | | developmental education classes do not offer |
| of these students are nontraditional students | | | | credit toward graduation and students cannot |
| returning to school after a long lapse and | | | | begin taking the credit-bearing course in |
| need help brushing up on skills. Other | | | | that area until successfully completing the |
| students are traditional students who did not | | | | developmental class. |
| acquire the necessary skills before | | | | |
| graduating from high school. Developmental | | | | Believe it or not, there is an even uglier |
| education classes serve an important function | | | | side to developmental education to the add to |
| in that they help bridge the gap for those | | | | the burden of time and money. It can also be |
| who want to attend college and do not have | | | | stressful on the student who may feel |
| the necessary skills. Some institutions | | | | discouraged and unfairly labeled. Plus, while |
| practice an open-door policy and provide | | | | developmental course work can be a great help |
| developmental education classes to bring | | | | to many first year students, research has |
| their student body up to standard. Other | | | | shown that the number of developmental |
| institutions provide a conditional admittance | | | | courses and the kinds of developmental |
| for students dependent on their attending and | | | | courses that students take makes a difference |
| passing developmental classes. | | | | in their future success. The success of |
| | | | underprepared readers in college is directly |
| However, there is also a bad side to | | | | and significantly related to taking and |
| developmental education classes. Each year, | | | | passing a reading skills course and |
| the number of students enrolling in | | | | deficiencies in reading skills are indicators |
| developmental level courses in postsecondary | | | | of comprehensive literacy problems and they |
| education increases. In fact, almost 42 | | | | significantly lower the odds of a student's |
| percent of all freshmen enrolled in public | | | | completing any degree. |
| 2-year colleges were enrolled in at least one | | | | |
| developmental course, according to National | | | | If you or someone you care about is headed |
| Center for Education Statistics. The | | | | for college you need to learn more about the |
| percentage drops if you factor in four-year | | | | good, the bad, and the ugly truth about |
| programs but not as much as you would think | | | | developmental education classes. |
| as many public four-year programs also have | | | | |