Episode

7 Jan 2025 · 31 min

0:00

In this Future You podcast episode, hosts Michael Horn and Jeff Selingo interview Ann Kim, a senior Future Ed fellow, to trace the history, research, policy, and reform of college remedial (developmental) education. They explain the colonial origins of remedial support, the rise of placement testing and non‑credit sequences, and the massive scale of remediation in community colleges (68% of students in 2003‑09). A 2012 Complete College America report showed high attrition and low degree completion, especially for Black, Hispanic, and low‑income students. Subsequent research identified flawed placement tests, long remediation chains, and uninspiring curricula as key failures. Reform efforts over the past 15 years introduced multiple‑measure placement, accelerated or condensed remediation, co‑requisite models (students take credit‑bearing courses with a support class), math‑pathways, and intensive programs like CUNY Start/ASAP. While many states adopted these models, implementation has been uneven due to funding cuts, faculty autonomy, revenue dependence on remediation, policy backlash, and logistical barriers (e.g., scheduling, VA benefits). Recent studies show co‑requisites improve pass rates but still leave the lowest‑performing students behind, prompting calls for differentiated pathways, stronger wrap‑around support, career‑technical education, stacked credentials, and competency‑based models. The hosts conclude with recommendations: restore resources, align incentives, innovate beyond legacy models, and design a student‑centered system for the 2025 era.

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