Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Deconstructing Remediation in Community Colleges: Exploring Associations Between Course-Taking Patterns, Course Outcomes, and Attrition from the Remedial Math and Remedial Writing Sequences

  • Published:
Research in Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Each year, a sizeable percentage of community college students enroll in remedial coursework to address skill deficiencies in math, writing, and/or reading. Unfortunately, the majority of these students do not attain college-level competency in the subjects in which they require remedial assistance. Moreover, students whose point of entry into the remedial sequence is at the lower end of the hierarchy of skill suffer the lowest rates of attainment by far. Yet, to date, we do not understand fully why students who begin at the lower end of the remedial sequence are so much less likely than are students who begin at the higher end to attain college-level competency. The purpose of this study is to illuminate the junctures in the remedial sequences in math and writing at which meaningful attrition of students is occurring and, in particular, the junctures at which “low-skill” remedial students suffer differential attrition relative to “high-skill” remedial students. To accomplish this end, I use data that address students in California’s community colleges to examine three ways of characterizing and explaining the differential in college-level skill attainment between low- and high-skill remedial math students and, separately, between low- and high-skill remedial writing students. The three characterizations include nonspecific attrition, skill-specific attrition, and course-specific attrition. I find that each of these characterizations contributes to explaining the differential in college-level skill attainment between low- and high-skill remedial students.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The reader should note the use of the word “predicted” in this description of the findings. Though these findings demonstrate a strong association between delaying first remedial math or writing and the unproductive pattern of course-taking, it is not clear if the delay itself is the cause of this unproductive pattern or if other characteristics that are correlated with the decision to delay this first course ultimately are the cause. Consequently, one cannot be certain that compelling students at college entry to enroll immediately in a first remedial math course or first remedial writing course would improve subsequent course-taking patterns.

References

  • Adelman, C. (1996). The true about remedial work: It’s more complex than windy rhetoric and simple solutions suggest. Chronicle of Higher Education, 43, A56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Attewell, P., Lavin, D., Domina, T., & Levey, T. (2006). New evidence on college remediation. Journal of Higher Education, 77, 886–924.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2007). Double jeopardy: Testing the effects of multiple basic skill deficiencies on successful remediation. Research in Higher Education, 48, 695–725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2008a). Does mathematics remediation work?: A comparative analysis of academic attainment among community college students. Research in Higher Education, 49, 420–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2008b). Cooling out in the community college: What is the effect of academic advising on students’ chances of success? Research in Higher Education, 49, 704–732.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2009). Educational attainment as process: Using hierarchical discrete-time event history analysis to model rate of progress. Research in Higher Education, 50, 691–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2010a). Revisiting the efficacy of postsecondary remediation: The moderating effects of depth/breadth of deficiency. Review of Higher Education, 33, 177–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2010b). Preparing the underprepared: An analysis of racial disparities in postsecondary mathematics remediation. Journal of Higher Education, 81, 209–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2010c). Making sense of disparities in mathematics remediation: What is the role of student retention? Journal of College Student Retention, 12, 25–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2010d). The bird’s eye view of community colleges: A behavioral typology of first-time students based on cluster analytic classification. Research in Higher Education, 51, 724–749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2011a). Classifying community colleges based on students’ patterns of usage. Ann Arbor, MI: Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, University of Michigan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R. (2011b). Exploring the possibilities and implications of a behavior-based system of student registration prioritization for the California community colleges: A technical report. Sacramento, CA: Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bahr, P. R., & Nellum C. (2011). The aftermath of remedial math: Deconstructing students’ use of the community college before, during, and after their participation in remedial math coursework. Paper presented May 23, 2011, at the annual forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.

  • Bahr, P. R. (2012). A typology of students’ use of the community college. New Directions for Institutional Research, 153, in press.

  • Bailey, T. (2009). Challenge and opportunity: Rethinking the role and function of developmental education in community college. New Directions for Community Colleges, 145, 11–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, T., Jeong, D. W., & Cho, S. (2010). Referral, enrollment, and completion in developmental education sequences in community colleges. Economics of Education Review, 29, 255–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, T., & Morest, V. S. (2006). The community college equity agenda in the twenty-first century: Moving from access to achievement. In T. Bailey & V. S. Morest (Eds.), Defending the community college equity agenda (pp. 246–270). Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bettinger, E. P., & Long, B. T. (2005). Remediation at the community college: Student participation and outcomes. New Directions for Community Colleges, 129, 17–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biswas, R. R. (2007). Accelerating remedial math education: How institutional innovation and state policy interact (Achieving the Dream Policy Brief). New York, NY: Community College Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boughan, K. (2001). Closing the transfer data gap: Using National Student Clearinghouse data in community college outcomes research. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, 8, 107–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calcagno, J. C., Crosta, P., Bailey, T., & Jenkins, D. (2007). Does age of entrance affect community college completion probabilities?: Evidence from a discrete-time hazard model. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 29, 218–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Callahan, M. K., & Chumney, D. (2009). ‘Write like college’: How remedial writing courses at a community college and a research university position ‘at-risk’ students in the field of higher education. Teachers College Record, 111, 1619–1664.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges. (2006, September 21). Noncredit at a glance. Sacramento, CA: Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges. Retrieved from http://www.cccco.edu/Portals/4/AA/Noncredit/n_guide_5e.pdf.

  • Deil-Amen, R., & Rosenbaum, J. E. (2002). The unintended consequences of stigma-free remediation. Sociology of Education, 75, 249–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldrick-Rab, S. (2010). Challenges and opportunities for improving community college student success. Review of Educational Research, 80, 437–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubb, W. N. (2001). From black box to Pandora’s Box: Evaluating remedial/developmental education. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 453893.

  • Grubb, W. N. (2010). The quandaries of basic skills in community colleges: Views from the classroom. National Center for Postsecondary Research. Retrieved from http://www.postsecondaryresearch.org/conference/PDF/NCPR_Panel4_GrubbPaper.pdf.

  • Grubb, W. N., & Cox, R. D. (2005). Pedagogical alignment and curricular consistency: The challenges for developmental education. New Directions for Community Colleges, 129, 93–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S. (2010). The pursuit of student success: The directions and challenges facing community colleges. In J. C. Smart (Ed.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (Vol. 25, pp. 181–218). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. A., Cabrera, A., & Prather, G. (2010). The Community College Transfer Calculator: Identifying the course-taking patterns that predict transfer. Journal of College Student Retention, 12, 105–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S., Cypers, S., & Lester, J. (2008). Looking in the rearview mirror: Factors affecting transfer for urban community college students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 32, 643–664.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S., & DuBray, D. (2010). Math and science success and nonsuccess: Journeys within the community college. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 16, 31–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S., & Kress, A. M. (2008). Using transcripts in analyses: Directions and opportunities. New Directions for Community Colleges, 143, 7–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S., & Lester, J. (2006). Hispanic community college students and the transfer game: Strikes, misses, and grand slam experiences. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 30, 827–853.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S., Moon, H. S., Cypers, S., Maxwell, W. E., & Lester, J. (2006). Transfer between community colleges and 4-year college: The all-American game. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 30, 223–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, B., & Wright, L. M. (2009). Making prealgebra meaningful: It starts with faculty inquiry. New Directions for Community Colleges, 145, 67–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levin, H. M., & Calcagno, J. C. (2008). Remediation in the community college: An evaluator’s perspective. Community College Review, 35, 181–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, J. S. (1997). Regression models for categorical and limited dependent variables. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melguizo, T., Hagedorn, L. S., & Cypers, S. (2008). Remedial/developmental education and the cost of community college transfer: A Los Angeles County sample. Journal of Higher Education, 31, 401–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moss, B. G., & Yeaton, W. H. (2006). Shaping policies related to developmental education: An evaluation using the regression-discontinuity design. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 28, 215–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perin, D. (2002). The location of developmental education in community colleges: A discussion of the merits of mainstreaming vs. centralization. Community College Review, 30, 27–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perin, D. (2004). Remediation beyond developmental education: The use of learning assistance centers to increase academic preparedness in community colleges. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 28, 559–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perin, D. (2006). Can community colleges protect both access and standards?: The problem of remediation. Teachers College Record, 108, 339–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perin, D., & Charron, K. (2006). Lights just click on every day. In T. Bailey & V. S. Morest (Eds.), Defending the community college equity agenda (pp. 155–194). Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perin, D., Keselman, A., & Monopoli, M. (2003). The academic writing of community college remedial students: Text and learner variables. Higher Education, 45, 19–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, M., Bahr, P. R., Rosin, M., & Woodward, K. M. (2010). Course-taking patterns, policies, and practices in developmental education in the California community colleges. Mountain View, CA: EdSource. Retrieved from http://www.edsource.org/assets/files/ccstudy/FULL-CC-DevelopmentalCoursetaking.pdf.

  • Roksa, J., & Calcagno, J. C. (2010). Catching up in community colleges: Academic preparation and transfer to four-year institutions. Teachers College Records, 112, 260–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, C. Q., & Durdella, N. R. (2010). Success rates for students taking compressed and regular length developmental courses in the community college. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 34, 39–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stratton, L. S., O’Toole, D. M., & Wetzel, J. N. (2008). A multinomial logit model of college stopout and dropout behavior. Economics of Education Review, 27, 319–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waycaster, P. (2001). Factors impacting success in community college developmental mathematics courses and subsequent courses. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 25, 403–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weissman, J., Silk, E., & Bulakowski, C. (1997). Assessing developmental education policies. Research in Higher Education, 38, 187–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Work on this study was funded in part by a contract between the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges and EdSource (Mountain View, California) and an associated subcontract between EdSource and the author of this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, School of Education, University of Michigan, Room 2108, 610 E. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1259, USA

    Peter Riley Bahr

Authors
  1. Peter Riley Bahr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Riley Bahr.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bahr, P.R. Deconstructing Remediation in Community Colleges: Exploring Associations Between Course-Taking Patterns, Course Outcomes, and Attrition from the Remedial Math and Remedial Writing Sequences. Res High Educ 53, 661–693 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-011-9243-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-011-9243-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation