Developmental Education of Kentucky’s

Public Postsecondary

Entering Class of 2004

Developmental Education TaskforceNovember 8, 2006

“Mandatory Placement Policy”3 KAR 2:020, Section 6

• Guidelines for admission to state-supported postsecondary education institutions in Kentucky.

• Requires assessment and placement of first-time degree-seeking students beginning fall 2001

• System-wide standard mandates some form of developmental education or further placement testing for students who score eighteen (18) or above on a mathematics, English or reading subscale of the ACT assessment.

Underprepared Students by Underprepared Students by Subject,Subject,

All KY Public College Entrants, All KY Public College Entrants, 20042004

53%44%

32%25%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

One or more subjects Math English Reading

Note: Underprepared students scored 17 or lower on an ACT subject exam or the equivalent on the SAT or an on-campus placement exam.

Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

Developmental Education of the 2004 Entry Cohort

• Were students’ developmental needs met?– Extent to which students’ developmental

needs were met during first two years– Method of meeting need

• How effective was developmental education?– Grade in first college-level math and English

course– Retention to the second year– GPA at end of first year

Types of Developmental Education

• This report includes:– Developmental courses (not for

college credit)– Supplemented college-level courses

(for college credit)– Placements out of developmental

education via institutional exams (some standardized, some not)

Types of Developmental Education

Not all forms of developmental education are included in this report– Individual tutoring and other forms of

individualized academic services have not been tracked by CPE to date

– Not all institutions had complete data on supplemented college-level courses and institutional placement exams in their student information systems for the 2004 cohort

Developmental Education of Developmental Education of Underprepared Students by Underprepared Students by

Subject, 2004Subject, 2004

67%58%

50%

10% 21%

24%

20%12%

20%

Math English Reading

Did not take subject, did not placeout of dev. with inst. exam

Took at college level without takingdev. or placing out

Did not take subject, placed out ofdev. with inst. exam

Took at college level, placed out ofdev. with inst. exam

Took at college level withsupplemental help only

Took developmental course

56% took dev. ed./

placed out

67% took dev. ed./

placed out

70% took dev. ed./

placed out

Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included.

Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

Developmental Education of Developmental Education of Underprepared Students by Subject and Underprepared Students by Subject and

Institution, 2004Institution, 2004

Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included.

Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

KCTCS / Two-year sector

Four-year sector

Eastern Kentucky University

Kentucky State University

Morehead State University

Murray State University

Northern Kentucky University

University of Kentucky

University of Louisville

Western Kentucky University

Math English Reading

Effectiveness of Developmental Education

• Measures used:– Grade in first college-level math, English

or social science course– Retention to the second year– GPA at end of first year

• Compare three categories of students:– Prepared students– Underprepared, developmental students– Underprepared students with no

developmental coursework or placements

Effectiveness of Developmental Education

• Cautions:– Association, not causation– Categories lump together students

with widely varying skill levels– Not all developmental services are

included, would suppress association– Small numbers at some institutions– Not all institutions offer

developmental courses in English and reading

– Generalizing about grades and GPA

Students with Grades of C or Better in Their Students with Grades of C or Better in Their First College-Level Course in a Subject, by First College-Level Course in a Subject, by

Preparation Level and Developmental Preparation Level and Developmental Education, 2004Education, 2004

Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included.

Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

77% 81%

66%76%

62%63%

80%

63%

87%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Math English Reading

PreparedUnderprepared, had developmental ed or placed outUnderprepared, no developmental ed or placement

System-Level Retention by Preparation System-Level Retention by Preparation Level and Developmental Education, Level and Developmental Education,

20042004

Note: Includes retention to the second year at any public or independent postsecondary institution in Kentucky. Not all forms of developmental education are included.

Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

81% 77% 76%64% 62% 62%

47% 52% 52%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Math English Reading

PreparedUnderprepared, had developmental ed or placed outUnderprepared, no developmental ed or placement

Students' GPA at End of First Year, by Students' GPA at End of First Year, by Preparation Level and Developmental Preparation Level and Developmental

Education, 2004Education, 2004

Note: Includes only students who were retained to the second year. Not all forms of developmental education are included.

Source: Council on Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Database

2.57 2.39 2.311.74 1.62 1.64

1.25 1.49 1.37

0.000.501.001.502.002.503.003.504.00

Math English Reading

Prepared

Underprepared, had developmental ed or placed out

Underprepared, no developmental ed or placement

Success of Developmental Education

• Among underprepared students, developmental education was associated with better student outcomes

• Gap between prepared and underprepared students remained, system wide and at most institutions– Some institutions closed this gap

• Lack of association between developmental education and first college-level grades in English and reading was probably due to lower rates of developmental education and data gaps

Extent of Developmental Education

• Substantial numbers of underprepared students did not take developmental education or place out

• Not all forms of developmental education were included, but the gap was still quite large

• Best coverage is in math, English and reading lag

• Great variation by institution– Eastern and Morehead have very high rates

in all subjects– Other institutions lag in one or more subjects