Student persistence and retention are critical concerns for colleges. Although much research has been focused on first-generation college students and how their pre-college circumstances contribute to their failure to persist to a degree, little research has been done to focus specifically on first-generation students and how failure in gateway…

The Texas Student Success Program Inventory (SSPI), available at https://www.highered.texas.gov/sspi, is an online database of information related to student success programs at public colleges and universities, commissioned by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). Consistent with nearly every other state, prior to the creation of…

This paper describes and assesses the implementation of online homework in a first-semester calculus course. Comparing sections of the course before implementation to those after, we find statistically significant improvements in retention rates, measures of student engagement, and participation on homework. We do not, however, find statistically…

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group in the United States and the second fastest growing group in the in post-secondary education. However, at most major universities Hispanic students are less likely to stay enrolled and less likely to graduate than any other racial group. It is vital for Hispanics to earn a college degree, as earning…

A significant challenge in higher education is to narrow the educational attainment gap between academically prepared and unprepared students. To this end, developmental or remedial education is intended to improve the academic skills and knowledge of students who are unprepared for undergraduate coursework, particularly in the areas of…

Although online course completion rates are commonly believed to be lower than in other delivery modes, some programs achieve equal or better course completion rates. This issue presents studies that suggest certain practices contribute to student success. Readers are invited to contribute to work-in-progress on key factors for a framework of…

In the U.S., only 38 of every 100 ninth graders enroll in college; of these 38, only 18 complete bachelors' degrees within six years. Asynchronous learning networks (ALN)--asynchronous, highly interactive, instructor-led, resource-rich, cohort-based learning--can yield high success rates. Growing demand for online education and the expectation…

The Southern Regional Education Board-State Data Exchange is a one-of-a-kind regional program with 23 statewide higher education governing and coordinating board partners. The Data Exchange annually collects, compiles and publishes: (1) the most current and detailed comparative statistics on postsecondary education in the 16 SREB states; (2)…

This report presents tables, graphs, and text summarizing baccalaureate graduation rates in Texas beginning with a cohort of first-time, full-time students who entered a public college or university in Texas in 1985. Graduation rates are typically described as the percentage of first-time, full-time students who earn baccalaureate degrees within 6…