Over the past decade, policymakers, administrators, and educators in community colleges and other broad-access postsecondary institutions have implemented widespread changes to traditional systems of prerequisite, multi-course developmental education. These reforms have been accelerated by policy incentives and requirements in a number of states, largely in response to the growing number of studies on the effects of developmental education reform.
This report draws on both impact and implementation studies published between 2010 and 2021—with a special focus on 17 studies that meet strong standards for causal evidence—to advance five principles for developmental education reform and related implementation considerations.
The report makes clear that changes to assessment and placement practices, curriculum and pedagogy, and supports provided to students in developmental education can lead to meaningful improvements in student outcomes. The study also reveals directions for useful future research, which should include greater focus on persistent opportunity and outcome gaps by race/ethnicity, the needs of students who are not successful in college-level courses, and comprehensive strategies to promote transfer and credential completion.