Adult community college students in degree-progressing English and math courses are nearing parity with their traditional-age student counterparts when it comes to course completion, according to a new report from California Competes.
Dr. David Radwin
The brief, "Redrawing the Starting Line: Advancing Equity in Adult Learners’ Developmental Education Outcomes", compared transfer-level English and math course completion rates between adult community college students – those age 25 or older – and their younger, traditional-age student peers.
Transfer-level courses are courses that count towards a degree, in contrast with developmental education courses – remedial education classes to help students develop coursework skills – which do not, said brief lead author Dr. David Radwin, senior researcher at California Competes.
According to the brief, California’s community colleges historically tested incoming students and assigned or referred low-scoring students to developmental education courses. However, policy changes in recent years have sought to increase enrollment in transfer-level English and math courses.
“Students could spend years in sequences of developmental education courses, using limited financial aid awards and personal resources without earning degree- and transfer-applicable credits and delaying enrollment in transfer-level courses— if they did not drop out first,” the brief noted.
A number of state bills later, institutions are required to inform students about their right to transfer-level courses and to enroll most students in such courses. Their funding even partially hinges on student completion of transfer-level English and math classes in their first year, according to the brief.
From the 2012-13 to 2021-22 school years, among California community college students, adult student completion rates for transfer-level English courses – those who complete their first course in the subject within one year of enrolling in and attempting it – increased from 42% to 67%.
