More Mountain State students are succeeding in college thanks, in part, to an overhaul in the way entry-level courses are taught, according to the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) at its June 23 meeting. The HEPC explained that reforms to developmental education are helping more students pass first-year math and English courses.
West Liberty University was singled out for its big increase in English pass rates which jumped from 46.4 percent to 90.7 percent.
“West Liberty University was one of the first four-year institutions in the state to adopt the co-requisite model for English and Math and we are pleased that it is showing positive results,” said Dr. Stephen Greiner, WLU president.
“Our English and Math faculty have taken on the challenge of creating new paths for students that have proven very successful,” said Dr. Brian Crawford, WLU provost.
“This should translate into higher retention and graduation rates over the coming years, as students who have success in completing their entry-level math and English courses in their freshman year and much more likely to be successful in completing a degree.”
“As an additional step in supporting our students, we have hired a Director for the new Writing Center that will be established beginning this fall,” Crawford added.
Historically, one in four students at West Virginia’s public colleges and universities have been required to take developmental math or English classes because their high school grade point averages (GPAs) or entrance exam scores were below the threshold at which students are considered ready for college-level work. These courses, which typically do not count toward a degree, often lead to students’ dropping out of college.
“In the past, developmental education too often has led to a dead end for students,” Dr. Paul Hill, HEPC Chancellor, said. “It’s discouraging, because not only are they taking and paying for classes that don’t count toward their degrees, but they often are being asked to re-learn information at a snail’s pace. Our new model of administering remediation allows students to catch up quickly and maintain momentum toward earning a college diploma.”
This new model is the result of collaboration between Complete College America, HEPC, the West Virginia Community and Technical College System, and public colleges and universities from across the state.
The new format provides students who have low GPAs or test scores with extra help, such as required tutoring or extra lab classes, while simultaneously allowing them to complete college-level coursework that counts toward their degrees. West Virginia is one of just five states to implement the model across the entire public higher education system.
“The WLU English results that were noted at the HEPC meeting are due primarily to the efforts of our faculty, especially Dr. Jeremy Larance, the chairman of the Department of Humanities. Dr. Larance has become a leader in the state in co-requisite education and has consulted with faculty and administrators in other parts of the country as they work to replicate this model at their institutions,” noted Crawford.
Data presented during the June 23 HEPC meeting showed that the redesign has resulted in a major boost for course completion rates.
“Ultimately, we expect this to have a major impact on college graduation rates,” Dr. Corley Dennison, HEPC’s Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said. “Instead of completely re-teaching a subject to students who may only need a bit of extra help, we are able to enroll them in the credit-bearing class and then pinpoint areas in which their knowledge and skills are lacking. That saves our students time, money and unnecessary frustration — and reduces barriers that may have previously prevented them from earning a degree.”
Dr. Hill said the new model is also a more cost-efficient method of offering classes.
“Previously, our colleges and universities had to dedicate faculty, space and class time for an entire semester to conduct high-school-level courses in order to prepare students for college work,” Dr. Hill said. “Now we are integrating the developmental work into first-year college courses and utilizing existing campus services, such as tutoring and faculty office hours, to offer extra support for the students who need it.”
The CTCS was one of the first higher education systems in the nation to test the co-requisite model of developmental education. The model is now nationally recognized as a best practice in state higher education policy.
To read the HEPC report and view its meeting presentation on this topic, please click here.
