This document summarizes innovations to traditional developmental education approaches. It describes an Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) that allows students to take a developmental reading or writing course concurrently with college-level English, with the same instructor, to help students pass the college-level course in one semester. Data shows ALP students at Henry Ford College passed college-level English at higher rates than students in traditional developmental sequences. The document also discusses innovations in developmental math, including competency-based and quantitative reasoning pathways, and challenges to implementing innovative approaches like financial aid regulations and outdated systems.

1. Shattering Traditional
Approaches to
Developmental Education
Jennifer L. Ernst
Janice Gilliland

2. What does your developmental
curriculum look like?
Do you create a lower level class when
students are less successful?
Are you happy with the student success in
your classes?
Do your students succeed after
developmental education?

3. Traditional Developmental
Approaches
“Stack a Course” Leads To:
• Increased Opportunity Cost
• Apathy and Lack of Confidence
• Lack of Persistence

4. Solo Cup Activity
What are the objectives you seek for your
students in developmental education?
Write 3-4 on solo cups.

5. Developmental Reading and
Writing Innovations

6. Accelerated Learning Program
Earn College Credit Faster
ALP
Instructor
ALP Cohort
(10 students)*
Traditional 131
(15 students)*
*Note: Enrollment caps reflect recommended model by CCBC, and data on the ALP Pilot cohort reflects this model. Enrollment caps have been changed
starting Fall 2015, which may impact data going forward.

7. Accelerated Learning Program
How it Works At HFC:
1. All students eligible for ENG 093 and ENG 081 are
eligible.
2. The AD is contacted to verify placement and seat
availability.
3. The students are scheduled into ENG 131 and ENG 093
with the same instructor.

8. Accelerated Learning Program
Earn College Credit Faster
Benefits of ALP:
 Students save time and money.
 Students receive more individualized attention and support
 Students take the ALP course (ALP ENG 093) in the same semester as
college English (ENG 131), with the same teacher, providing students
more directly relevant, concentrated help to pass college English.
 ALP removes the stigma of developmental education. The student
“qualifies to be enrolled in the accelerated learning program” as
opposed to implying the student is not ready for college.

9. passed
ENG 132
45
64%
passed
ENG 132
364
14%
took
ENG 132
59
84%
took
ENG 132
493
19%
passed
ENG 093
1434
56%
did not pass
ENG 093
1106
44%
Traditional
developmental
students
took
ENG 093
F’12 – F’14
2540
100%
took
ENG 131
1241
49%
passed
ENG 093
55
79%
didn’t
pass
ENG 093
15
21%
ALP
Students
took ALP
ENG 093
F’12 – F’14
70
100%
took
ENG 131
70
100%
passed
ENG 131
803
31%
didn’t
pass
ENG 131
438
17%
passed
ENG 131
51
73%
didn’t
pass
ENG 131
19
27%
Traditional
Developmental
students:
Fall 2012 –
Fall 2014
Data for HFC
comparison group
ALP students:
Fall 2012 –
Fall 2014
Data for HFC
ALP Pilot Cohort
(Data for MCCA/Kresge
Foundation Grant)
Data from Henry Ford College Office of Institutional Research

10. Accelerated Learning Program
ENG 093 ENG 131 ENG 132
HFC English Pass Rates Fall 2012 - Fall 2014
Traditional
developmental
students
ALP students
56%
31%
73%
64%
14%
79%

11. Accelerated Learning Program

12. 85 community colleges across the U.S. currently use some form of ALP.
 Henry Ford College is among 18 Michigan
community colleges participating in the
MCCA/Kresge Foundation Grant initiative.
 Michigan was selected to be among six states (AL,
CO, CT, IN, MI, VA) to participate in a CCBC/Kresge
Foundation Grant to pilot the CCBC model of ALP.
Data From CCBC Institutional Research

13. Next Steps
• Reading Apprenticeship/Reading Across the
Curriculum
• Contextualized ESL
• Coordination with Counseling Courses
• Coordination with Math

14. Developmental Math
Innovations

15. Redesign Math Projects
• Competency-based computer classes
• Best Fit
• Quantitative Reasoning Pathway

16. Positive Indicators
• Retention of 85% from F’14 to W’15
• Acceleration success
• QR transfers to satisfy Gen Ed

17. Next Steps
• Analyze Data
• 1 credit /1 module
• Collaboration
• Scale up? Integrate?

18. Build Something New!
Build a solo cup tower that reflects a
completely different construction of
developmental education.

19. Administrative Challenges
of Innovation
• Federal Financial Aid Regulations
• Archaic Data Entry Systems that Will Not Support
Creative Curriculum
• Faculty Pushback
• Lack of Support for
Increased Expenses
• Student Expectations

20. Research Materials Can
Be Found at:
www.devedredesign.com