College Milestones
Completion of Gatekeeper English/reading Courses: Arizona
What Is Measured?
Percentage of Arizona Community College students enrolled in developmental English/reading who completed gatekeeper courses in the same subject within their first two academic years
Who Is Counted?
Students entering Arizona Community Colleges for the first time in fall 2006 who took at least one developmental English/reading course in their first year
What It Tells Us
Some 34 percent of students age 17 to 19, 25 percent of students age 20 to 24, and 23 percent of students age 25 or older in Arizona Community Colleges who took developmental English/reading courses in their first year completed corresponding gatekeeper English/reading courses during their first two academic years.
Why It's Important
There is general consensus that timely completion of gatekeeper courses, the lowest-level college-level courses in the core subjects of mathematics, reading, and writing, positively affects student outcomes such as attainment of certificates and degrees and transfer to a four-year institution. Completion of gatekeeper courses fulfills requirements for graduation and transfer as well as prerequisites for more advanced courses in various fields.
About the Data
Race/ethnicity: Other includes Asian; American Indian or Alaska Native; and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Racial categories exclude persons of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, who are presented separately.