This document summarizes Colorado's developmental education redesign which aims to move students more quickly through remedial courses and into college-level courses. It found that 27% of students enrolled in developmental education and the likelihood of completing decreases with each additional remedial level. The redesign recommends reducing time, credits, and classes in remedial sequences; using multiple math pathways tailored to students' majors; and implementing uniform placement testing and advising across colleges. The goal is to transition all colleges to the new models by Fall 2014 to improve student progression and transfer rates.

1. Colorado Developmental
Education Redesign

2. The problem
“The more levels of developmental courses a
student needs to go through, the less likely
that student is to ever complete college
English or math.”
- Thomas Bailey (2009) CCRC Brief.

3. Colorado percent of enrollment in developmental
education
27%
73%
Enrollment
Students enrolled in at
least one DE course
All other students

4. CCCS students
61.6
25.3
13.1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
MAT ENG REA
Percent of total remedial enrollment
Percent of total remedial
placement

5. Current course completion
Course 2010-2012: 3 year average
ENG 030 61.6%
ENG 060 63.2%
ENG 090 63.5%
REA 030 64.0%
REA 060 68.1%
REA 090 63.8%
MAT 030 60.8%
MAT 060 66.3%
MAT 090 60.1%
MAT 099 57.9%
Total Average 62.9%

6. Why high attrition rates are a structural problem
 For students who place two levels below a college
course there are 5 “exit points”
 Do they pass the first course
 Do they enroll in the next course?
 Do they pass the second course?
 Do they enroll in the college-level course?
 Do they pass the college-level course?
 Students placing three levels down have 7 exit
points.

7. Why high attrition rates are a structural problem
 CCCS pipeline example for students beginning in
MAT090
 Enroll in remedial math (6933) 100%
 Do they complete MAT 090 (3053) 44%
 Do they enroll in college math (1746 ) 25%
 Do they complete college math (1239) 18%
 Do they graduate (558) 8%
Nawrocki, Baker, & Corash (2009). Success of remedial math students in the
Colorado community college system: A longitudinal study.

8. The goal of our recommendations
Move students quickly and effectively through their
first college level course.

9. Our recommendations
 Reduce the amount of time, number of credits, and
number of classes
 Curriculum redesign
 Reverse design
 What students need to know for success in college class
 Active learning experiences
 Ongoing process

10. Math recommendations

11. Multiple pathways
 Each course in each developmental sequence should
be redesigned to only cover content necessary for the
college level course.
 Multiple developmental sequences/paths/branches
available to students based on their career/major
interest. Leading to college math clusters in:
 Non-transfer
 Non-STEM
 STEM

12. CRC recommendations
Placement Score(s) First Term Leads to
1A)
RC 0-39 and/or SS 0-49
Soft Landing Accuplacer test
1B)
RC 0-39 and/or SS 0-49
CRC 092 + CRC 091 Completion of all REA
and ENG developmental
requirements
RC40-61 and/or SS 50-69 CRC 092 Completion of all REA
and ENG developmental
requirements
2A)
RC62-79 and/or SS 70-94
CRC 093
Studio D
Completion of all REA
and ENG developmental
requirements
2B)
RC62-79 and/or SS 70-94
CRC 094
Studio 121
Completion of all REA
and ENG developmental
requirements

13. Testing and placement
 Colorado specific Accuplacer with “strands”
 Uniform multiple measures built into Accuplacer
system
 Consistent test administration statewide
 Validate Accuplacer scores every 3-5 years – are we
using the right cut scores
 To accomplish these goals use a system level
institutional administrator (IA) in addition to college
site administrators for local control

14. Timeline
 Spring/summer 13 discipline team work to develop
curriculum and to create professional development
training for faculty and staff
 Fall of 13 schools that are already working on
redesign will ramp up projects
 Spring 14 all colleges should transition to the new
models
 Fall of 14 all colleges should be operating with the
new models in place

15. Implications
 GT Pathways courses are unchanged
 Students transfer at a faster/higher rate
 Students referred to community colleges for remediation
will require less time before they enroll in 4 year courses
 Pathways advising
 Crucial communication links - degree/program
requirements

16. Resources
C o n t a c t s :
C a s e y S a c k s c a s e y . s a c k s @ c c c s . e d u
B i t s y C o h n b i t s y . c o h n @ c c c s . e d u
D e v e l o p m e n t a l E d u c a t i o n T a s k F o r c e
W W W . C C C S . E D U / D E T F
C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e R e s e a r c h C e n t e r
H T T P : / / C C R C . T C . C O L U M B I A . E D U /
C o m p l e t e C o l l e g e A m e r i c a
H T T P : / / W W W . C O M P L E T E C O L L E G E . O R G /
G e t t i n g P a s t G o
HTTP://GETTINGPASTGO.ORG

17. Creative Commons
Attribution
This work by Colorado Community College System COETC Grant is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
The material was created with funds from the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant
awarded to the Colorado Online Energy Training Consortium (COETC).Based on a work at www.cccs.edu.Permissions beyond the scope of
this license may be available at www.cccs.edu.