1. Texas Developmental Education Advisory Committee Webinar Dr. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow MDRC

2.  Over 50% of community college students unprepared for college-level work  Few students complete developmental education  Limited research on strategies to increase students’ success  Few utilize comparison groups or control for pre- existing differences

3.  Synthesize more rigorous findings on interventions  Examine promising trends in innovative approaches  Identify promising areas for future practice and research

4.  In-depth, computerized search of education databases  Hand search of specified journals  Review websites and publications of research organizations  Research divided into six categories, with varying degrees of rigor

5.  Promising models divided into four types:  Avoidance strategies  Acceleration strategies  Contextualized learning models  Student support interventions

6.  Types of interventions  Dual enrollment  Early assessment programs  Summer bridge programs  Research evidence  Rigorous study: ▪ California’s Early Assessment Program: Modest decreases in placement into dev math and English  Descriptive trends: Mixed findings on summer bridge, more promising for dual enrollment

7.  Types of interventions  Fast track courses  Modularized courses  Mainstreaming into college-level courses  Research evidence  Rigorous study: Mainstreaming ▪ Increased completion of college level courses  Descriptive studies: All strategies ▪ Positive trends in persistence and dev ed/college-level course pass rates

8.  Types of interventions  Integrated basic skills and vocational programs  Learning communities  Research evidence  Rigorous evidence: Positive increases in academic achievement ▪ I-BEST: Large gains in credits and occupational certificates earned ▪ Learning communities: Mixed to modest academic gains

9.  Types of interventions  Tutoring and supplemental instruction (SI)  Advising  Student success courses  Research evidence  Rigorous evidence: Advising and student success courses ▪ Limited and modest academic gains  Descriptive evidence: Tutoring and SI ▪ Mixed to positive trends

10.  Need to improve quality of evidence  Little rigorous research available  Promising strategies  Most studies = modest impacts  Strategies with some reliable evidence ▪ I-BEST model ▪ Acceleration models: Mainstreaming ▪ Avoidance models: Early placement assessment and preparation

11.  Promising strategies (continued)  Untested innovations ▪ Technology-aided approaches to instruction ▪ Alignment between K-12 and college curricula ▪ Transforming college curricula and practice  Critical considerations for innovation  Placement assessments  Adjunct faculty  Classroom instructional practice  Professional development

12. Elizabeth Zachry Rutschow Elizabeth.Zachry@mdrc.org (212) 340-8843 Download report: http://www.mdrc.org/publications/601/ov erview.html.