Improving the Targeting of Treatment: Evidence from College Remediation

Abstract

At an annual cost of roughly $7 billion nationally, remedial coursework is one of the single largest interventions intended to improve outcomes for underprepared college students. But like a costly medical treatment with non-trivial side effects, the value of remediation overall depends upon whether those most likely to benefit can be identified in advance. Our analysis uses administrative data and a rich predictive model to examine the accuracy of remedial screening tests, either instead of or in addition to using high school transcript data to determine remedial assignment. We find that roughly one in four test-takers in math and one in three test-takers in English are severely mis-assigned under current test-based policies, with mis-assignments to remediation much more common than mis-assignments to college-level coursework. We find that using high school transcript information-either instead of or in addition to test scores-could significantly reduce the prevalence of assignment errors. Further, we find that the choice of screening device has significant implications for the racial and gender composition of both remedial and college-level courses. Finally, we find that if institutions took account of students' high school performance, they could remediate substantially fewer students without lowering success rates in college-level courses.

Designing and Implementing Corequisite Models of Developmental Education: Findings from Texas Community Colleges

“…In response, some states and institutions have reformed assessment and placement strategies. Changes included simplifying the testing process by requiring institutions to use common assessments and cut scores; using additional measures to determine placement; enhancing information on the importance of the assessment; and offering test preparation for the assessment (Barnett and Reddy, 2017;Rodriguez, 2014;Scott-Clayton, Crosta, and Belfield, 2012). …”

Board # 111 : Using High School Transcript Data and Diagnostic Information to Fine-Tune Placement Policy and Tailor Instruction in Developmental Math

“…Higher education scholars have documented how variables such as high school GPA and prior course-taking are often stronger predictors of college success than test scores (Adelman, 2006;Armstrong, 2000;DesJardins & Lindsey, 2007). Challenging the over-reliance on placement testing, researchers have also found that supplementing or even replacing placement tests with high school transcript (HST) information may improve course placement (Ngo & Kwon, 2015;Scott-Clayton, Crosta, & Belfield, 2014). Further, math diagnostics can also be a potentially valuable resource for math faculty and student support center personnel.…”

“…One way to make this determination is to estimate the rate of successful placement and erroneous placement in each A&P context, following procedures described in Sawyer (1996;2007) and most recently by Scott-Clayton et al (2014). The estimation strategy results in the overall proportions of students placed successfully and students placed in error for each level of math.…”

“…First, the use of commonly-used placement tests (e.g., ACCUPLACER; COMPASS) frequently results in placement errors (Scott-Clayton et al, 2014). This leads to students being placed into courses that are not the appropriate level for them, often into courses that are too elementary relative to their academic preparedness.…”

“…Recent research both for California and the nation suggests that an alternative way to place students is to capitalize on information from high school transcripts (Fain, 2013;Scott-Clayton et al, 2014). This stems from a long line of research that has shown that high school grades and course taking are strong predictors of postsecondary success (e.g., Adelman, 2006;Armstrong, 2000;DesJardins & Lindsay, 2007).…”