Achieving the Dream

TC recognized for rise in completion of developmental courses

“They are looking for community colleges that are interested in making a progress, changes on student success and completion and improving access for students.”

jamie Ashby, TC director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness

Texarkana College’s increase in student completion of developmental courses made them an Achieving the Dream Leaders College.

Jamie Ashby, TC’s director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness, presented the numbers at a recent TC board meeting.

“Texarkana College increased successful completion of developmental courses for first-time college students from 43 percent in 2006 to 54 percent in 2011.”

On Friday, Ashby said the success can be credited to requiring students to attend weekly tutorial lab sessions for math, English and reading-developmental-education courses. Developmental education classes are taken to prepare students for the rigors of college class work.

Ashby said the college is one of 66 colleges in the program. There are about 1,200 community colleges nationwide. The college applied and was accepted in November.

“They are looking for community colleges that are interested in making a progress, changes on student success and completion and improving access for students,” Ashby said.

Ashby said the six years of data ensured TC’s place in the Leaders College roster quickly.

“We are very excited. It’s a very nice accomplishment that we are only the second school (in the nation) to receive the designation after the second year in Achieving the Dream,” Ashby said.

TC was accepted into Achieving the Dream in 2010. The program guides colleges in developing programs that promote student success and institutional improvement.

Ashby said in most cases, community colleges take between three to five years to be named a Leaders College.

“We are very committed to looking at their data and sharing the data,” Ashby said.

The college piloted a new program in fall 2012 for math.

“We paired the developmental ed class with a a college algebra course at the same time,” Ashby said.

Then, the student is motivated to complete both and get credit for both at the same time, she said.

Ashby said the same is done with English and reading.

Students are placed in developmental education classes based on the results of a standardized test that could include the Texas Higher Education Assessment, ACT or Accuplacer test.