Developmental Education: Preparing Students for Success in College-Level Work

 

Getting Prepared 2014 reports on recent high school graduates and developmental courses.

Overall, Minnesota does well in moving students from public high school to college. However, gaps in enrollment exist for key groups of students, including students of color and lower-income students.

Developmental course-taking encompasses the subject areas of mathematics, reading, writing, English as a Second Language or general study skills.

Delve into our Getting Prepared Infographic

Across all Minnesota colleges and universities, the percent of recent high school graduates who enrolled in developmental education has remained relatively stable at 28 to 30 percent between 2006 and 2011. Students requiring developmental education were mainly enrolled at Minnesota public two-year colleges.

It should be noted that while postsecondary institutions typically assess the academic readiness of high school graduates for college level academic coursework, students can enroll in a variety of technical programs requiring less than college-level skills in reading, writing and/or math. Many students are able to graduate with postsecondary occupational certificates or diplomas and obtain a living wage job without being assessed college ready.

The Percent of High School Graduates Enrolled in Developmental Courses Appears Stable (28%-30%) from 2006-2011