Unlocking the Gate to College: An Analysis of Rigorous Research on Improving Developmental Education

• In Event: Understanding and Facilitating Students’ College Readiness

Abstract

This literature review seeks to examine research on developmental education strategies and reforms and identify the most promising approaches for improving developmental education students’ success. Emphasizing results from experimental and quasi-experimental studies, the findings from this study suggest that the most promising strategies for moving students more quickly through remedial courses and into college-level work tend to be those that: (1) help students build their skills before entering college; (2) integrate students’ into college-level courses; and/or (3) provide clear opportunities for the development of occupational and workforce skills. Several extremely promising reforms are also noted, including technology-aided approaches, improved alignment between K-12 and postsecondary education, and curricular redesign focused on the key skills developmental students will need in their career.

Authors

• Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow, MDRC

• Emily Schneider, MDRC