Determining the Effectiveness of a Summer Bridge Program: Eliminating Developmental Coursework, Achieving Scholarships, and Developing Academic and Non-Academic Skills for College Readiness

• In Event: 44.084 - Roundtable Session 18
  In Roundtable Session: 44.084-9 - Making an Impact: The Role of High Schools and Precollege Programs in College Access

Abstract

The mixed methods study investigates the success of a Summer Bridge program at preparing at-risk high school students–socio-economically disadvantaged students from a troubled incompletely desegregated urban school district–to test out of developmental courses and provide completing students with a substantial scholarship to attend their choice of a public, predominantly white, metropolitan, community engaged, urban doctoral institution or a private, religiously affiliated, four-year historically Black liberal arts college in a Southern Regional Education Board state. Qualitative results provided evidence of students improving: (1) core academic skills, (2) cross-cutting capabilities, and (3) behavioral skills. Quantitatively, over the two-year period of the study, 117 student participants tested out of 175 developmental courses resulting in savings to students of $131,500.

Authors

• Thomas G. Barrett, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

• John A. Kuykendall, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

• Amber R. Smith, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

• Sherry J. Robertson, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

• Jonathan Bobo, University of Arkansas at Little Rock