Developmental Education Placement
Participation in Developmental Courses in Any Subject: Washington
What Is Measured?
Percentage of 2008 high school graduates enrolled in Washington Community College and Technical Colleges who enrolled in any developmental course within one year
Who Is Counted?
2008 high school graduates enrolled in Washington Community College and Technical Colleges in 2008-09
What It Tells Us
More than half (54 percent) of 2008 high school graduates who enrolled in Washington Community and Technical Colleges in the summer or fall after graduation took a developmental course during their first year in college. Compared with their male counterparts, females (61 percent) were more likely to enroll in a developmental course, and relative to other race/ethnic groups, Hispanic (60 percent) students were more likely to take a developmental course.
Why It's Important
For students in need of developmental education, enrolling in a specific course mandated by the placement test is the first step toward advancement to a college-level program. Many students never enroll in developmental courses at the level at which they are assessed, however. Because placements are not always binding, many students enroll in higher- or lower-level courses. Some may skip courses in the remedial sequence or skip developmental education altogether. As a result, the rates at which students enroll in developmental courses provide an incomplete picture of the need for remediation. Placement information, however, is rarely available, leaving enrollment rates as the only measure for gauging students' college readiness.