Oregon public high school graduates: 65 % require at least one developmental education course in community college

A new study by Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest examines rates of participation in developmental education among recent Oregon public high school graduates who enrolled in the state’s community colleges. The authors find that 65 percent of graduates who entered community college within six years of graduation took at least one developmental education course. Mirroring findings from across the country, these students persist in and complete college at lower rates than their peers who start in college-level math and English courses.

Individual academic achievement and experiences in high school were stronger predictors of participation in developmental education in college than sociodemographic and school characteristics, especially for recent high school graduates. In particular, enrolling in certain dual-credit courses in high school was associated with a lower likelihood of participation in developmental education in college.

Overall, the findings affirm the importance of efforts in Oregon and across the nation to strengthen partnerships between high schools and colleges, increase access to rigorous coursework in high school, and redesign developmental education.