Innovative Developmental Education Programs: A Texas Model

This article provides insights from a 2–year, cross-site evaluation of state funded developmental education sites and serves as a focus article for response by those sites. Receiving grants from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), nine sites (5 community colleges and 4 universities) implemented innovative developmental education programs in Texas. The Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University was charged with evaluating the nine sites. A cross-site program evaluation collected quantitative data from the sites to determine success rates for students enrolled in their programs. Qualitative methods were used primarily to interpret the quality indicators present across sites. Data in the form of interviews, focus groups, and self-reports were applied. The successes and challenges were organized into four thematic categories: Curriculum Design and Instructional Strategies, Faculty and Staff Supports, Structures Supporting Learning, and Policy Issues. Findings show that accelerated approaches via redesigned curriculum for shortened, completely or partially self-paced, corequisite, and blended courses helped accelerate student completion or transition to credit bearing courses for the motivated students. Alternative instructional strategies provided a high level of interaction between students and instructors and on-line, on-demand tutoring at the sites. Focused professional development for the DE instructors and administrators was found to be useful in learning to deal with specific student problems.