DIFFERENCES IN DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION ENROLLMENT AND PERFORMANCE AT TEXAS 4-YEAR UNIVERSITIES: A MULTIYEAR, STATEWIDE STUDY

Purpose

The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to analyze the numbers and percentages of students enrolled in developmental education in reading, mathematics, and writing at 4-year universities in Texas from the 2002-2003 through the 2009-2010 academic years. In addition, students who were enrolled in developmental education in reading, mathematics, and writing and who then completed a college-level course were analyzed. Specifically, the differences from the 2002-2003 to the 2009-2010 academic years were examined. The multiple academic years analyzed determined which trends were present in numbers and percentages of developmental education students in reading, mathematics, and writing at 4-year universities in Texas.

Method

A longitudinal, exploratory investigation was used herein (Johnson, 2001). Archival data were downloaded and analyzed from the Texas Higher Education Board Interactive Accountability System in each of the three empirical studies in this journal-ready dissertation. Specifically, archival data were obtained for the 2002-2003 through the 2009-2010 academic years for the numbers and percentages of students enrolled in developmental education in reading, mathematics, and writing at Texas 4-year universities.

Findings

Statistically significant differences were present in all academic years for students enrolled in developmental education in reading. Numbers and percentages of students enrolled decreased, and students who completed a college-level course in reading increased. Statistically significant differences were present for numbers of students enrolled in developmental education in mathematics and for percentages of students who completed a college-level course in mathematics. Both the numbers of students enrolled and the percentages of students who completed a college-level course in mathematics increased. However, a statistically significant difference was not present for percentages of students enrolled in developmental education in mathematics. Statistically significant differences were present for percentages of students enrolled in developmental education in writing and for percentages of students who completed a college-level course in writing. The percentages of students enrolled decreased and the percentages of students who completed a college-level course in writing increased. However, a statistically significant difference was not present for numbers of students enrolled in developmental education in writing. The numbers of students remained nearly the same over the years of the study.