The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to identify the experiences that support the success of Latina/o community college students who began in basic skills courses at two or more levels below college-level and went on to complete college-level English and math. Fifteen Latina/o community college students attending a large…

In January 2012, a system-wide task force came together for a nearly year-long process of revising the community and technical college system's performance-based funding (PBF) system, the Student Achievement Initiative. This review was consistent with national experts' recommendations for continuous evaluation of PBF systems to ensure overall…

Learning assessments of the First-Year Experience (FYE) at universities have drawn increasing attention. Despite its current popularity, few pieces of literature on the FYE learning assessment exist in Japan. To present a case of FYE in the context of Japan, this paper examines the FYE course called the Vision Planning Seminar (VPS) at the Nagoya…

The current literature review explores the factors that contribute to academic persistence for adult learners. The aim of the study is to identify current research-based strategies aimed at supporting learner persistence, particularly for low-skilled adults. Elements of three theoretical frameworks, namely, expectancy-value theory (EVT), goal…

The California Community Colleges served more than 2.2 million students in 2011-12 and just shy of 2.1 million students in 2012-13. It is the largest system of higher education in the nation. All colleges and districts use state funding allocated for Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) to assist in providing support services and…

Recent efforts to improve developmental education have included references to learning communities as examples of effective practices in basic skills education. The study "Basic skills as a foundation for student success in California community colleges" (2007) cited research from Tinto that suggested that learning communities and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of students enrolled in a basic skills math class at a California community college and the role of the peer model in informing their college-going behaviors. There is significant interest in increasing the number of students who complete basic skills courses and make progress towards a…

The purpose of this study was to examine the educational experiences and outcomes of low-skill adults in West Virginia's community and technical colleges, providing a more detailed profile of these students. Data for the variables were obtained from archival databases through a cooperative agreement between state agencies. Descriptive statistics…

As the state emerges from another recession, jobs that remain and those opening require workers with higher-order skills most often acquired in postsecondary education. Increasing numbers of adults look to community colleges to learn those skills and to find a way out of a cycle of low paying, unstable jobs. Even workers with years of experience…

A small but growing body of evidence in reports, journal articles and conference papers indicates that if basic skills are embedded within specific career training programs, under-prepared students can acquire life enhancing basic skills at a higher rate than when those skills are taught in the traditional, unconnected way (Baker et al., 2009; Kuh…

Pressures to increase accountability in basic skills education have encouraged policy makers and postsecondary institutions to focus on student achievement. Using the Washington State Student Achievement Initiative Database and two consecutive years of data, this study examines the academic progress of basic skills students at one community…

The information in this report is presented to encourage continued conversation regarding preparation for college and remedial or developmental education in Colorado. This report documents action taken and data gathered by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE) for academic year 2010 (Summary 2009-Spring 2010) as required by statute to…

This study examined the impact of basic skills curricular learning communities on academically underprepared community college students to determine if participation in such programs significantly contributed to student persistence from year one to year two. The conceptual framework that informed this study was Tinto's (1993) longitudinal model of…

The main objective of the authors' proposed study is to evaluate the effectiveness of math placement policies for entering community college students on these students' academic success in math, and their transfer and graduation rates. The main research question that guides the proposed study is: What are the effects of various basic skills…

The Critical Success Factors Report is the North Carolina Community College System's major accountability document. This annual performance report serves to inform colleges and the public on the performance of North Carolina's 58 community colleges. In 1993, the State Board of Community Colleges began monitoring performance data on specific…