The Risks and Rewards of Accelerating Basic Writing: An Inside Look at Scaling Up, Replication, and Adaptation of a Successful Acceleration Model (ALP) Susan Gabriel Community College of Baltimore County Mark Blaauw-Hara North Central Michigan College Peter DeNegre Tunxis Community College

CCBC Demographics Number of credit students: 33,817 Average age: 29 Female/male ratio: 58/42% Students of Color: 50% Sixty-two percent work 20 hours or more per week Full/Part Time 34/66 Three main campuses; 3 extension centers 81% of students entering CCBC test into one or more developmental disciplines 65% Dev. Writing 77% Dev. Mathematics 58% Dev. Reading

Placement into Dev Ed at CCBC 100% 81% 77% 75% 65% 58% 50% 25% all students math English reading

CCBC’s Developmental Education Courses: MATH 081 082 083 RDG 051 052 ENGL 051 052 ENGL 101 ENGL 102

ALP ENG 101 ENG 052 reduces stigma improves attachment provides stronger role models encourages cohort effect changes attitude toward developmental course allows individual attention allows time for non-cog issues allows coordination of the two courses After discussing this slide, Peter turns it back to Sarah.

How does an ALP developmental class differ from a traditional one? Goal of a traditional developmental course: . for students to pass the developmental course and be ready for first-year composition. Goal of an ALP developmental course: After discussing this slide, Peter turns it back to Sarah. for students to pass first-year composition course.

Backward curriculum design Active learning Thinking skills Pedagogy for ALP Backward curriculum design Active learning Thinking skills Integrated reading and writing Sentence-level error Non-cognitive issues Coordinating the two courses After discussing this slide, Peter turns it back to Sarah.

traditional developmental students: took ENG 101 2661 48% took no more writing courses 943 17% traditional developmental students: fall 2007 – fall 2010 took ENG 052 Fa07-Fa10 5545 100% passed ENG 052 3604 65% did not pass 1941 35% ALP students: fall 2007 – fall 2010 took ENG 052 Fa07-Fa10 592 100% passed ENG 052 485 82% didn’t pass 107 18% took ENG 101 592 100% took no more writing courses 0% data from Cho, Kopko, & Jenkins, 2012 (CCRC)

traditional developmental students: took ENG 101 2661 48% took no more writing courses 943 17% traditional developmental students: fall 2007 – fall 2010 took ENG 052 Fa07-Fa10 5545 100% passed ENG 052 3604 65% did not pass 1941 35% passed ENG 101 1829 33% didn’t pass 832 15% ALP students: fall 2007 – fall 2010 took ENG 052 Fa07-Fa10 592 100% passed ENG 052 485 82% didn’t pass 107 18% took ENG 101 592 100% took no more writing courses 0% passed ENG 101 438 74% didn’t pass 154 26% data from Cho, Kopko, & Jenkins, 2012 (CCRC)

traditional developmental students: fall 2007 – fall 2010 passed ENG 052 3604 65% did not pass 1941 35% took Fa07-Fa10 5545 100% ENG 101 2661 48% took no more writing courses 943 17% 485 82% didn’t pass 107 18% 592 0% 1829 33% 832 15% 438 74% 154 26% took ENG 102 721 13% haven’t taken 1109 20% passed ENG 102 554 10% F, I, or W in ENG102 167 3% ALP students: fall 2007 – fall 2010 took ENG 102 296 50% haven’t taken 142 24% passed ENG 102 195 33% haven’t passed ENG102 101 17% data from Cho, Kopko, & Jenkins, 2012 (CCRC)

Percent Earning 24 or More Credits within 2 Years traditional dev writing ALP 30% 28% 27% 25% 20% 14% 14% 13% 10% Fall 2010 N=1616 Fall 2011 N=1594 Fall 2012 N=1470

Characteristics of an ALP Class That Seem to Contribute to Success ALP students are mainstreamed into the credit-level writing course. The pipeline through which ALP students have to pass is shortened by one semester. The stigma of being a developmental student is reduced. ALP Students work with stronger writers in their credit English course. ALP Students are members of a small cohort, who spend six hours a week together. Taking credit English concurrently with developmental English provides a meaningful context for the developmental course. The small class size of ALP sections allows the instructor to tailor the course to the needs of these students. ALP instructors recognize the importance of paying attention to affective and life issues of their students. Students benefit from the progressive ALP pedagogy. A L P The Accelerated Learning Program

Challenges in Piloting and Scaling Up ALP Scheduling and registration Explaining the course to advisors Determining which students should be in ALP Funding Credentials Classrooms Filling the classes Gaining faculty support Ongoing faculty development

An Inside Look at Two ALP Replication Projects ALP Replication in Michigan Kresge Foundation Grant Co-ordinated by the Michigan Center for Student Success (MCSS) Schools chose to participate 19 of the 28 Michigan community colleges ALP Replication in Connecticut Hewlett Foundation Grant Sparked by statewide mandate 6 colleges

Bringing an ALP Program to Scale Mark Blaauw-Hara Writing Coordinator, North Central Michigan College

Brief history Initial model had two levels of developmental writing and two semesters of college writing. In 2011, two writing faculty heard about ALP at the annual National Conference on Developmental Education in Baltimore. Piloted two sections. Piloted a few more. Michigan’s environment.

Questions We Asked Does the ALP program work? Do developmental students in ALP sections out-perform those in stand-alone developmental classes? Are students in ALP sections well prepared for 112? Is the program cost-sustainable?

How We Researched Do they write better? Do they perform well in 112? Randomized double-blind readings Do they perform well in 112? IR tracked grades Is it cost-sustainable? IR tracked retention and credits taken subsequent to the course Answer: ALP is superior to regular 095 and is cost-sustainable.

Scaling Up Massively scaled up ALP over the next four years. Faculty training, state-wide programs and in-house. Used Kresge grant funding to reimburse adjuncts for training, pay for food at dept. meetings, establish mentoring program Leveraged desire to teach in ALP to encourage professional development Retired lowest level of dev. writing. (Parallel research project: low numbers, long pipeline, not effective, ALP provides support.)

Bumps and Bruises Educating advisors What it is, how to talk about it Investigating downsides for students Time? Finances? Accepting potential risks for faculty Wrestling with scheduling and qualifications

Bottom Lines It is the best option for students. It is financially sustainable. It allows us to use good pedagogy. It inspires faculty professional development. We are at 100% scale.

Making the Best of Poorly Conceived Law PA 1240 and its aftermath

Developmental Sequence at Tunxis Community College Before PA 1240 Integrated Reading and Writing I (ENG 065) Six credit course with a portfolio requirement. A grade a C- or better required to register for ENG 075 Reading ACCUPLACER score: <54 Integrated Reading and Writing II (ENG 075) Six credit course with a portfolio requirement. A grade a C- or better required to register for Composition (ENG 101) Reading ACCUPLACER score: 54-71.9 Introduction to College reading and Writing (ENG 093) Three credit course with a portfolio requirement. A grade a C- or better required to register for Composition (ENG 101) Reading ACCUPLACER score: 72-82.9 Reading ACCUPLACER score of 83 or SAT score of 450 or better for composition

Issues Facing Developmental Courses within the Connecticut Community Colleges Through The Eyes of the Legislature Passing rate of approximately 60% High drop-out rate Repeated attempts absorb financial aid Weak graduation rates Students takes more than two years to graduate

What is PA 1240? AN ACT CONCERNING COLLEGE READINESS AND COMPLETION In 2012, Public Act 12-40 was passed directing public community colleges and state universities to reconfigure how remedial/developmental education is delivered. It also requires public high schools to align their curriculum as described by the Common Core State Standards to ensure that graduates are ready for college level work. http://www.ct.edu/initia tives/dev-education

In response to PA 12-40, ConnSCU faculty is re-designing developmental education using a tiered system of instruction College Level College-level instruction; a course numbered 100 or higher Embedded Level College-level instruction with embedded developmental support designed for students with 12th grade skills (or close to that) who are approaching college readiness but require some remediation; college-level components must be numbered 100 or higher Intensive Level A single semester of developmental education or an intensive readiness experience for students below the 12th grade level; if structured as a course, must be numbered below 100. In addition, institutions have joined together in four regional groups to devise strategies to address students who demonstrate significant gaps in skills levels or are unsuccessful in an initial attempt in an intensive-level offering. Transitional Strategies Strategies for students with eighth grade skill levels or below developed by groups from colleges and universities in each geographical region of the state.

MMMMMMM? Didn’t we have that? Before PA 1240 After PA 1240 College Level: ENG 101 Embedded Level: ENG 093 Intensive Level: ENG 075 Transitional Level: ENG 065 College Level: ENG 101 Embedded Level: ENG 093 combined with ENG 101 using the ALP model Intensive Level: ENG 096 wider range of abilities Transitional Level: ENG 065 now taught by Adult Education on our campus

The Silver Lining ALP model is doing well: more time on task Extra support in the transitional level Questioning the accuracy of the ACCUPLACER: margin of error is 7 points Developing multiple measures to place students More of a focus on meta-cognitive issues

A Few Promising Numbers Success rates in English developmental courses were somewhat higher in Fall 2014 than in Fall 2011: 64.2% vs. 60.6% for new students 63.5% vs. 59.1% for all students

A Few Promising Numbers However, significantly fewer students enrolled for developmental English in Fall 2014: 321 vs. 439 for new students 436 vs. 738 for all students Why was this the case? In other words, what differences are there in student characteristics between the two years?

DATA FALL 2011 FALL 2014

Websites http://www.ct.edu/initiatives/dev- education http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/act/pa/pdf/ 2012PA-00040-R00SB-00040-PA.pdf

The Risks and Rewards of Accelerating Basic Writing: An Inside Look at Scaling Up, Replication, and Adaptation of a Successful Acceleration Model (ALP) Susan Gabriel sgabriel@ccbcmd.edu Community College of Baltimore County Mark Blaauw-Hara markblaauwhara@gmail.com North Central Michigan College Peter DeNegre PDeNegre@commnet.edu Tunxis Community College