Making the Case for Acceleration: Findings from the First in the World AMP-UP Program

• In Event: Instituting Developmental (Remedial) Education Reform: Challenges and Results in New Jersey, Colorado, and New York

Abstract

The reform of developmental math education at America’s community colleges has become a central concern for researchers and policymakers alike. Reforms to developmental math education policy would be likely to increase college retention and completion, specifically among students from low-SES and under-represented minority families. Until recently, research on developmental education reform has relied on anecdotal evidence, simulations, or correlational studies (e.g., Brown & Ternes 2009; Scott-Clayton & Stacey 2015). While providing important data and suggesting promising approaches, such studies lack the capacity to address selection bias and therefore cannot provide conclusive evidence of program effectiveness. One significant issue for students assigned to developmental math is that they are often subject to multi-course developmental sequences. Many students fail to complete these sequences and as a result leave college altogether before beginning credit-bearing coursework (Valentine, Konstantopoulos, & Goldrick-Rab, 2016). As such, one proposed approach to reform is to accelerate students’ progress through developmental math by compressing course times or by removing some courses altogether (Bailey & Jaggars, 2016). An obvious potential pitfall to acceleration is that students may not be able to perform well given the intensive pace of instruction. This paper presents preliminary findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) which tests an accelerated approach to developmental math. The treatment condition in the RCT allows students the opportunity to complete a two-course developmental math sequence and a college level math course within their first semester. Students assigned to the comparison condition would take up to three semesters to complete the same coursework. Our preliminary findings indicate that a) students assigned to developmental basic math in the treatment group completed that requirement by means of a two-week summer bridge program, and b) students across the treatment group were able to successfully complete a developmental algebra and a college level mathematics course in a single semester by means of two 7.5-week courses with available supplemental support. We will also share end-of-semester findings as they become available.

Authors

• Daniel Douglas, --

• Scott Putorti, Bergen Community College