College Milestones
Completion of Gatekeeper Math: Washington
What Is Measured?
Percentage of students who completed a gatekeeper math course within five years
Who Is Counted?
First-time students enrolled in Washington Community and Technical Colleges in 2001-02 and who were enrolled in college-level, workforce, or transfer programs
What It Tells Us
About one-sixth (17 percent) of students enrolled in college-level courses in Washington State Community and Technical Colleges completed a gatekeeper math course within five years. Students intending to transfer completed gatekeeper math at a higher rate than students in workforce programs (40 percent vs. 13 percent).
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
Students are categorized by whether or not they enrolled in developmental education courses and their educational objectives at the time of registration. These groups of students are not mutually exclusive.
College-level: include students who did not enroll in any developmental courses, regardless of their educational objectives.
Workforce: include students who enrolled in vocational education programs, regardless of their enrollment in developmental courses.
Transfer: include students who enrolled with the intent to transfer to a four-year institution, regardless of their enrollment in developmental courses.