A study of policies and practices in developmental education in Texas public higher education institutions

Higher education institutions spend millions of dollars annually to prepare students for entry into college-level courses. Specialized programs, known as developmental or remedial, have arisen out of the increasing number of underprepared students entering higher education institutions. General revenue appropriations for developmental instruction at Texas public higher education institutions increased from ;Administrators, educators, and legislators have not entirely accepted or approved of college-level remediation as an essential component of higher education. As a result, data collection and evaluation procedures have been inadequate. Information as to how higher education institutions are responding to the demands of providing developmental education is limited (Abraham, 1992). Administrators, educators, and legislators, in response to the growing number of academically underprepared students, have requested data to accurately assess the validity and effectiveness of developmental education programs, services, and activities (Abraham, 1987).;The purpose of this study is to describe the current policies and practices of developmental education in public institutions in the state of Texas. The research method used was descriptive analysis. Examination of studies involved in the collection of similar information and a review of literature related to developmental education provided the basis for a seventeen-item survey. The questionnaire was designed to collect data concerning institutional organizational structure of developmental programs, placement practices of developmental programs, evaluation of developmental programs, and professional development of developmental education faculty and staff. The questionnaire consisted of four organizational structure items, four placement practices items, three evaluation of developmental programs items, and five professional development of developmental education faculty and staff items.;The defined population was the Texas public institutions of higher education identified as having either developmental education appropriations or lower-division instruction. Questionnaires were sent to 102 public institutions: twenty-nine public universities and seventy-three public community colleges.;The data collected from the study were analyzed using appropriate descriptive statistical procedures. The data were summarized, analyzed and reported in tabular and narrative form using descriptive statistics. Information regarding policies was also summarized, analyzed, and described.;The findings of this study report the diversity and similarities in the polices and practices of developmental education programs in Texas public institutions of higher education. Recommendations are provided for Texas public institutions of higher education to improve the quality of their developmental education programs.