Five Principles for Reforming Developmental Education A Review of the Evidence (2022)

The report by Susan Bickerstaff and colleagues reviews evidence from 2010 to 2022 to guide developmental education reform in community colleges and similar institutions. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive reforms that go beyond traditional remedial courses, which have often hindered student progress, especially among students of color and low-income students. The authors provide a set of principles based on a wide-ranging review of both impact and implementation studies.

Main Takeaways:

• Access to College-Level Courses: Granting students access to college-level courses with the necessary support, instead of placing them in developmental courses, has shown to improve completion rates.
• Targeted and Tiered Supports: Effective support systems are crucial, especially for students with weaker academic backgrounds, incorporating both academic and nonacademic services to address diverse student needs.
• Contextualized Curriculum and Student-Centered Pedagogy: Employing relevant and engaging curriculum and pedagogy that focuses on students' active participation improves learning outcomes.
• Equity-Minded Approaches: Designing and implementing reforms with an equity focus is essential to address the disproportionate impact of traditional developmental education on marginalized students.
• Long-Term Comprehensive Supports: Pairing developmental education reforms with sustained, comprehensive supports throughout a student’s college tenure enhances long-term educational outcomes.