Placement Evaluations and Remedial Education: Are Students Shopping for the Best Bargains?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 78
  In Roundtable Session: Postsecondary Student Experiences and Outcomes

Abstract

The research literature on developmental education in community colleges has focused on low placement test scores, poor student retention, and limited student success. These types of analyses are similar to work done at the secondary level which focuses on student achievement and student graduation. The problem, though, is that students are not restricted to their neighborhood community college like there are to their neighborhood high school. Consequently, the concept of retention may need to be re-thought because of online courses and differences in developmental course requirements (ie., cut scores, number of levels). With the skills of a savvy consumer, students may shop across colleges to find their best option for placement and remediation.

Author

• Stephen H. Fletcher, De Anza College