From the Guest Editors - Corequisite Writing Courses: Equity and Access

First Year Writing Reforms Corequisite first year writing courses are a critical component of institutional-level equity work. [...]institutional policies and approaches such as a) placement based on racist standardized test scores and b) course structures that require non-credit-bearing classes based on those test scores are ripe for proactive, equity-minded reform. Because of the deep impact revised course structures and placement processes can have on the success of students whom our institutions have historically underserved, first year writing reforms are urgent. First year writing programs are a high-volume, high-touch enterprise; changes there are likely to affect hundreds of students at any one institution and hundreds of thousands of students nationwide. According to Hassell and Baird Giordano, "not only is placement students' first contact with college English, but it is also the critical moment that has the potential to profoundly shape a student's experience in college-including whether they will be retained or lost to higher education altogether" (56).