College leaders from New Jersey and Michigan offered their perspectives on developmental education at a session earlier this week at the annual convention of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The moderator, Lawrence Nespoli, president of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, reiterated the goals presented in AACC’s 2012 report, Reclaiming the American Dream: […]
College Readiness Articles
Report roundup
Here are three reports you should know about this month. The number of students earning their first undergraduate degree — both associate and bachelor’s degrees — in 2015-16 declined by 1.4 percent from the previous year, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The number of first-time graduates ages 25 […]
Partnership integrates ed, training for inmates
In Massachusetts, Holyoke Community College (HCC) and Hampden County Sheriff’s Department will use a $71,300 state grant to train currently and formerly incarcerated men and women for food service jobs while also preparing them to pass their high school equivalency tests. The grant, from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s adult and community […]
Improving FAFSA completion rates
Nearly 40 percent of federal aid-eligible students don’t complete the FAFSA. Why? Many students don’t think they’re eligible for aid. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has increased outreach to clear up myths like this. The Education Department has deployed outreach coordinators to school districts where FAFSA completion rates were especially low. ED also conducts […]
Alternative remediation options lead to student success
More than 70 percent of California community college freshmen are assigned to algebra remediation. The success rates for these students have not been encouraging. Each year, more than 140,000 students take their first remedial math course in a California community college. More than 100,000 of them will never complete the math required to earn a […]
High school grad rates rise
The national graduation rate for public high school students is on the rise, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. The graduation rate rose to 83.2 percent in 2014-15. This number comes from measuring the percentage of students who graduate with a regular high school diploma within four years of starting 9th […]
Re-inventing the first-year experience
West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) serves a population of students who often struggle to understand the expectations of college and how to reach the educational goal of earning a college credential. Recognizing the continued needs of its student population, WKCTC embarked on a project in 2014 to help students find their paths at […]
Removing barriers to dual enrollment
In rural Arkansas, where poverty and underemployment are common, a pilot program has been developed to provide certificates, credentials and licenses to high school students. The program is not only preparing students for good-paying jobs, but also filling local workforce needs. Leaders from Arkansas State University-Newport and Cedar Ridge High School spoke about the program […]
Commentary: Improving developmental math through technology
There is consensus in the field that major changes need to be made to how incoming community college students are assessed for college readiness, and how their knowledge and skills shortcomings are addressed. There’s been a great deal of experimentation and transformation on campuses across the country. One approach being tried, primarily in mathematics, is […]
Program Helps Students With Accuplacer Exam
In June 2015, educators and administrators from New Jersey’s Freehold Regional High School District (FRHSD) and Brookdale Community College met to brainstorm ways to use U.S. Department of Education Title I grant money to help economically disadvantaged high school students succeed in college. The goal was to prepare them for the Accuplacer exam and teach […]