Dropout and Stopout Patterns Among Developmental Education Students in Texas Community Colleges

Abstract

The dropout/stopout patterns of community college students were examined in the research reported here. About two thirds of the 51,903 students in the study were enrolled in developmental education courses. Success in college was deüned as a passing grade point average after üve semesters of coursework . Student success was found to be associated with enrollment patterns, initial skill deüciencies, and age. Community college students who enrolled for consecutive semesters outperformed students with other types of enrollment patterns.Address correspondenc e to

College and career readiness: Policy and research to support effective counseling in schools.

“…Approximately 25% to 45% of incoming college freshmen never graduate (Solberg Nes, Evans, & Segerstrom, 2009). Researchers have shown that the rate of successful remediation in postsecondary institutions is very low (e.g., Adelman, 2005;Bahr, 2010;Burley, Butner, & Cejda, 2001). More than 25% of students who must take three or more remedial classes drop out of college after the first year (Adelman, 2005).…”

“…More than 25% of students who must take three or more remedial classes drop out of college after the first year (Adelman, 2005). The more remedial classes students must take during their first years of college, the more likely it is that they will drop out (Burley et al, 2001). Moreover, of those students who do not drop out during their 1st year of college, those who must take a remedial mathematics course typically do not develop the level of mathematics skill that would allow them to graduate or that could make them competitive for higher demand jobs.…”

Marketing Implications Associated with Non-Returning Students in University Certificate Programs

“…A number of published studies have reported that post-secondary educational programs suffer from a high rate of student attrition-in both traditional face-to-face instruction and distance education programs. For example, Burley, Butner, and Cejda (2001) reported that approximately 50% of students who enter undergraduate degree programs actually complete those programs. A similar result was reported by Desjardins, Ahlburg, and McCall (2002).…”

“…As a result, a great deal of research has been carried out to identify the factors that contribute to drop-out and to investigate ways to reduce it. One of the major challenges associated with this area of research has been the recognition that drop-out behaviour in post-secondary studies is a complex phenomenon that typically results from multiple causes (see Bonham & Luckie, 1993a;Burley et al, 2001;Desjardins et al, 2002;Summers, 2003). Woodley (2004) observed that two general approaches have characterized research into the phenomenon of drop-out.…”

“…However, it is important to note that Bonham and Luckie investigated students' declared intentions to return. Other investigators (e.g., Burley et al, 2001) have defined stop-outs as students who actually re-registered. Interestingly, Burley et al (2001) found that 60% of the non-returning students in their study were stop-outs and that a number of them had actually discontinued their studies for several academic terms before returning.…”