Does Corequisite Remediation Work for Everyone? An Exploration of Heterogeneous Effects and Mechanisms

Community colleges utilize open-door admission policies to provide educational opportunities for all students, including those who are academically under-prepared in one or more areas. Current approaches to assisting under-prepared students include the targeted delivery of remedial courses in math, English, and reading. This approach typically relies on the use of standardized placement tests to determine whether students have remedial needs. Based on those placement test scores, students may have a remedial need in only one of the core academic areas (e.g., math, English, or reading). In such cases, students may concurrently enroll in required remedial courses and college-level courses unrelated to the area in which they are considered to be academically under-prepared. The research reported in this article evaluated the assumption that a student's under-preparedness is limited to a specific area by assessing the college-level performance of students concurrently enrolled in remedial and college-level courses. The results show that college-level pass rates are much lower among students concurrently enrolled in remedial courses who do not successfully complete one or more of these remedial courses. These students under-perform irrespective of the type of college-level course. In contrast, students who pass their remedial courses are generally successful in their college-level courses. Policy implications in regard to developmental education are discussed.

This paper presents the findings from a follow-up quantitative analysis of the Community College of Baltimore County’s Accelerated Learning Program (ALP). Our results suggest that among students who enroll in the highest level developmental writing course, participation in ALP is associated with substantially better outcomes in terms of English 101 completion and English 102 completion (college-level English courses), which corroborates the results of a similar analysis completed in 2010. These results were consistent, and in some cases, even stronger, when we used propensity score matching. Moreover, using a larger number of cohorts and tracking students over a longer period of time, we also found that ALP students were more likely to persist to the next year than non-ALP students. Specific subgroup analyses for earlier versus later cohorts, as well as for Black and low-income students, revealed relationships between ALP participation and student outcomes that were similar to those found in the larger sample, although ALP appeared to be more effective for White and high-income students on some outcomes. Finally, we compared college-ready students enrolled in ALP sections of English 101 with their counterparts in wholly college-ready sections, and found that those in ALP sections had equivalent performance within English 101 itself, but slightly lower subsequent college-level course enrollment and completion.

In this study we examine the introduction of online homework in a first-semester engineering mathematics course at a German university of applied sciences. The aim of the study was to find out whether students in general and students with low incoming mathematics skills in particular benefit from graded online homework. We found a high correlation between the number of online homework problems correctly solved and exam results, but also between placement test scores and exam results. Furthermore, we found that students with high placement test scores were more likely to use online homework regularly. We conclude that although online homework can promote successful student learning, further efforts are necessary to ensure completion of homework especially by students with low placement test scores.

Traditionally colleges have relied on standalone non-credit-bearing developmental education (DE) to support students academically and ensure readiness for college-level courses. As emerging evidence has raised concerns about the effectiveness of DE courses, colleges and states have been experimenting with approaches that place students into credit-bearing coursework more quickly. To better understand which types of students might be most likely to benefit from being placed into college-level math coursework, this study examines heterogeneity in the causal effects of placement into college-level courses using a regression discontinuity design and administrative data from the state of Texas. We focus on student characteristics that are related to academic preparation or might signal a student’s likelihood of success or need for additional support and might therefore be factors considered for placement into college-level courses under “holistic advising” or “multiple measures” initiatives. We find heterogeneity in outcomes for many of the measures we examined. Students who declared an academic major designation, had bachelor’s degree aspirations, tested below college readiness on multiple subjects, were designated as Limited English Proficiency (LEP), and/or were economically disadvantaged status were more likely to benefit from placement into college-level math. Part-time enrollment or being over the age of 21 were associated with reduced benefits from placement into college-level math. We do not find any heterogeneity in outcomes for our high school achievement measure, three or more years of math taken in high school.

At an annual cost of roughly $7 billion nationally, remedial coursework is one of the single largest interventions intended to improve outcomes for underprepared college students. But like a costly medical treatment with non-trivial side effects, the value of remediation overall depends upon whether those most likely to benefit can be identified in advance. Our analysis uses administrative data and a rich predictive model to examine the accuracy of remedial screening tests, either instead of or in addition to using high school transcript data to determine remedial assignment. We find that roughly one in four test-takers in math and one in three test-takers in English are severely mis-assigned under current test-based policies, with mis-assignments to remediation much more common than mis-assignments to college-level coursework. We find that using high school transcript information--either instead of or in addition to test scores--could significantly reduce the prevalence of assignment errors. Further, we find that the choice of screening device has significant implications for the racial and gender composition of both remedial and college-level courses. Finally, we find that if institutions took account of students' high school performance, they could remediate substantially fewer students without lowering success rates in college-level courses.

Background/Context Most community colleges across the country use a placement test to determine students’ readiness for college-level coursework, yet these tests are admittedly imperfect instruments. Researchers have documented significant problems stemming from overreliance on placement testing, including placement error and misdiagnosis of remediation needs. They have also described significant consequences of misplacement, which can hinder the educational progression and attainment of community college students. Purpose/Objective/Research Question We explore possibilities for placing community college students in mathematics courses using a holistic approach that considers measures beyond placement test scores. This includes academic background measures, such as high school GPA and math courses taken, and indicators of noncognitive constructs, such as motivation, time use, and social support. Setting The study draws upon administrative data from a large urban community college district in California that serves over 100,000 students each semester. The data enable us to link students’ placement testing results, survey data, background information, and transcript records. Research Design We first use the supplemental survey data gathered during routine placement testing to conduct predictive exercises that identify severe placement errors under existing placement practices. We then move beyond prediction and evaluate student outcomes in two colleges where noncognitive indicators were directly factored into placement algorithms. Findings/Results Using high school background information and noncognitive indicators to predict success reveals as many as one quarter of students may be misassigned to their math courses by status quo practices. In our subsequent analysis we find that students placed under a holistic approach that considered noncognitive indicators in addition to placement test scores performed no differently from higher scoring peers in the same course. Conclusions/Recommendations The findings suggest a holistic approach to mathematics course placement may improve placement accuracy and provide access to higher level mathematics courses for community college students without compromising their likelihood of success.

"Despite the rapid expansion of dual enrollment programs in the United States, limited research has examined the experiences of concurrent enrollment instructors (CEIs), high school teachers who deliver college-level courses within secondary school settings. This qualitative collective case study explores how twelve CEIs within Maine's public universities navigate their unique position at the intersection of K-12 and higher education systems. Guided by role theory (Katz and Kahn, 1978), this research investigated how CEIs perceive their dual role and navigate competing institutional expectations. Five major themes emerged from the analysis: dual system role navigation, pedagogical practices and classroom autonomy, professional relationships, communication and coordination challenges, and navigational strategies and coping mechanisms. Findings revealed that CEIs operate within a complex liminal space, experiencing role ambiguity, fragmented communication systems, and competing institutional demands. Despite these challenges, CEIs demonstrated remarkable adaptability through strategic compartmentalization, compromise, and innovation in their teaching practices. The study illuminates critical systemic gaps requiring comprehensive interventions at high school, university, and system levels. Recommendations include establishing clearer role definitions, improving communication infrastructure, developing tailored professional development opportunities, and recognizing CEIs as integral partners in expanding college access. This research contributes to the limited body of qualitative literature on CEI experiences and provides actionable insights for strengthening concurrent enrollment programs.

Chapter 1. Transformation of Higher Education Institutional Landscape in Post-Soviet Countries: From Soviet Model to Where?; Anna Smolentseva, Jeroen Huisman, Isak Froumin -- Chapter 2. Common Legacy: Evolution of the Institutional Landscape of Soviet Higher Education; Isak Froumin & Yaroslav Kouzminov -- Chapter 3. Armenia: Transformational Peculiarities of the Soviet and Post-Soviet Higher Education System; Susanna Karakhanyan -- Chapter 4. Higher Education Transformation, Institutional Diversity and Typology of Higher Education Institutions in Azerbaijan; Hamlet Isakhanli & Aytaj Pashayeva -- Chapter 5. Belarus: Higher Education Dynamics and Institutional Landscape; Olga Gille-Belova & Larissa Titarenko -- Chapter 6. Inverted U-shape of Estonian Higher Education: Post-Socialist Liberalism and Postpostsocialist Consolidation; Ellu Saar & Triin Roosalu -- Chapter 7. Georgia: Higher Education System Dynamics and Institutional Diversity; Lela Chakhaia & Tamar Bregvadze -- Chapter 8. Looking at Kazakhstan’s Higher Education Landscape: From Transition to Transformation Between 1920 and 2015; Elise S. Ahn, John Dixon & Larissa Chekmareva -- Chapter 9. Institutional Strategies of Higher Education Reform in Post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan: Differentiating to Survive between State and Market; Jarkyn Shadymanova & Sarah Amsler -- Chapter 10. Latvia: A Historical Analysis of Transformation and Diversification of Higher Education System; Ali Ait Si Mhamed, Zane Vārpiņa, Indra Dedze & Rita Kasa -- Chapter 11. Lithuanian Higher Education: Between Path-Dependency and Change; Liudvika Leisyte, Anna-Lena Rose & Elena Schimmelpfennig -- Chapter 12. Moldova: Institutions Under Stress: The Past, the Present and the Future of Moldova’s Higher Education System; Lukas Bischof & Alina Tofan -- Chapter 13. Russia: The Institutional Landscape of Russian Higher Education; Daria Platonova & Dmitry Semyonov -- Chapter 14. Higher Education in Tajikistan: Institutional Landscape and Key Policy Developments; Alan J. DeYoung, Zumrad Kataeva & Dilrabo Jonbekova -- Chapter 15. The Transformation of Higher Education in Turkmenistan: Continuity and Change; Victoria Clement & Zumrad Kataeva -- Chapter 16. Ukraine: Higher Education Reforms and Dynamics of the Institutional Landscape; Nataliya L. Rumyantseva and Olena I. Logvynenko -- Chapter 17. Uzbekistan: Higher Education Reforms and the Changing Landscape since Independence; Kobil Ruziev & Umar Burkhanov.

Mathematics has been a barrier for degree attainment. Research has focused on mathematics generally and not the transition from remedial to college-level coursework. This study examined the effects of delaying enrollment in college-level mathematics on student success. Propensity score matching minimized bias between immediate and delayed enrollment in a college-level course. Our findings indicated that delaying enrollment in a college-level course changed the likelihood a university retained first-time remedial mathematics students after Years 1 and 2. No evidence was found to suggest remedial students’ decision to delay enrollment in a college-level course affected undergraduate grade point average or earning a passing grade in college-level mathematics. Results of course performance were biased toward those who attempted a college-level mathematics course; 25.7% of the matched sample who completed their remedial courses never enrolled in a college-level mathematics course, and most of those departed early. Our results support the importance of early completion of mathematics.

This article investigates the impact of parenthood on women’s labour market outcomes in Belgium. Using administrative data and an event study design, we show that mothers lose 32% of their labour earnings relative to fathers, up to eight years after the birth of their first child. Furthermore, we find a strong positive correlation between the size of the child penalty for a given sector and the share of its workers who report working atypical work schedules or irregular hours, suggesting that job characteristics matter in determining the size of the child penalty.

Competence-oriented restructuring of curricular content for the study of geographic information system (GIS) in higher education has become a primary educational enterprise in Europe due to the Bologna Reform. Although there are different international curricular documents for outcome-based design of learning activities within the geographic information science and technology domain, it has not yet been clarified which competences should be considered essential components of a university-level course of study in GIS. Our content analysis of those curricular documents demonstrates that there are three dimensions of core competences foundational to the study of GIS in higher education, which are GIS knowledge and skills, spatial thinking, and problem-solving.

This article analyzes the individual-level effects of disability onset on labor market outcomes using novel administrative data from Germany. Combining propensity score matching techniques with an event-study design, we find lasting negative impacts on employment and wages. One important mechanism is transitions to nonemployment after disability onset: the number of nonemployment days of the newly disabled increases by 36 days per year after one year and by 55 days after five years compared to the control group. For those who stay in employment, working part-time and switching to less physically or psychosocially demanding jobs are important adjustment paths. The negative labor market effects of disability onset are more pronounced for severely disabled, older, and low-skilled individuals.

I provide the first look at inter-jurisdictional retirement in Canada, which refers to working in one jurisdiction but moving to another at retirement. Using administrative data from 1982 to 2018, I find that the likelihood of moving jurisdictions doubles at retirement, using an event-study design. This effect is driven by younger and higher-income tax filers who likely moved during their working years for high-paying jobs and could afford to retire earlier and move home. The Atlantic provinces and British Columbia are net recipients of inter-jurisdictional retirees, whereas all others are net donors. Hence, there is asymmetry between where people work and pay taxes before retirement and where they live after retirement.

Syringe services programs (SSPs) are community-based prevention programs that provide a range of harm reduction services to persons who inject drugs. Despite their benefits, SSP laws vary across the United States. Little is known regarding how legislation surrounding SSPs may have influenced HIV transmission over the COVID-19 pandemic, a period in which drug use increased. This study examined associations between state SSP laws and HIV transmission among the Medicaid population before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. State-by-month counts of new HIV diagnoses among the Medicaid population were produced using administrative claims data from the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System from 2019 to 2020. Data on SSP laws were collected from the Prescription Drug Abuse Policy System. Associations between state SSP laws and HIV transmission before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic were evaluated using an event study design, controlling for the implementation of COVID-19 nonpharmaceutical interventions and state and time fixed effects. State laws allowing the operation of SSPs were associated with 0.54 (P = 0.044) to 1.18 (P = 0.001) fewer new monthly HIV diagnoses per 100,000 Medicaid enrollees relative to states without such laws in place during the 9 months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The largest effects manifested for population subgroups disproportionately affected by HIV, such as male and non-Hispanic Black Medicaid enrollees. Less restrictive laws on SSPs may have helped mitigate HIV transmission among the Medicaid population throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers can consider implementing less restrictive SSP laws to mitigate HIV transmission resulting from future increases in injection drug use. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Portugal introduced a sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) tax in 2017. This study uses unique administrative accounting data for all SSB producers/importers in Portugal, and an event study design with bottled water firms as the primary comparison group, to assess the causal impacts of the tax on multiple firm-level outcomes. We find a 6.8% average decrease in domestic SSB sales, relative to bottled water. The soda tax hindered SSB firms’ financial health, namely net income, ability to convert receivables into cash, and liabilities. SSB producers/importers did not decrease wages, cut jobs, or modify their workforce toward higher R&D capacity. Forgone corporate income tax appears negligible compared to the government revenue generated by the tax itself.