Do remedial English programs impact first‐year success in college? An illustration of the regression‐discontinuity design

Abstract

This paper presents an illustration of how the regression‐discontinuity design can be used to obtain an unbiased estimate of the causal effect of participating in a university remedial English program on first‐year grade point average. First‐year grade point averages were collected for 197 first‐time, full‐time university students, along with the scores they received on an English placement examination, and a measure of remedial program assignment. Regression discontinuities indicate that first‐year grade point averages were approximately 0.392 points higher for students who participated in a remedial English program as compared to equivalent students who did not participate in the remedial program. We also present various threats to validity and limitations of the regression‐discontinuity design.