Responding to growing evidence supporting corequisite developmental education, the Louisiana Board of Regents adopted a statewide placement policy in 2021 that eliminated most traditional remediation. Instead, students are now placed directly into college-level English and math courses with corequisite support as needed, making Louisiana one of the first states to fully scale this model across all public colleges with the implementation of math corequisites in fall 2023 and English in fall 2024. This reform is designed to increase access to and completion of college-level English and math, improve retention and graduation rates, and remove systemic barriers to equitable access and outcomes for students.
Supported by Ascendium Education Group, CCRC is studying this reform to build the field’s knowledge about effective corequisite models. The three-year study focuses on how colleges in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) are designing and delivering corequisite models in practice and how students and faculty are experiencing these changes. To better understand how this policy is playing out on the ground, CCRC researchers have been speaking with and visiting colleges since fall 2024. We have learned how Louisiana colleges have implemented corequisites and will build on that information in Year 2 of the study with a randomized controlled trial conducted by our project partners at Boston College, led by Angela Boatman, and the University of Texas at Austin, led by Matt Giani.
Year 1: Understanding Implementation on the Ground
The first year of this three-year study focused on implementation research at six LCTCS colleges during the fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters. The CCRC research team conducted classroom observations, focus groups, interviews, and surveys to understand how corequisite models are being designed, implemented, and experienced. Here’s what we took away from the research:
Colleges took different paths to corequisites.Even with statewide mandates in place, colleges varied in how and when they rolled out corequisites. Some institutions jumped in early while others were still adjusting placement practices and support structures when the mandate went into effect. The details of how support courses are designed, scheduled, and staffed differ significantly from campus to campus.
Placement practices are still being sorted out.Despite encouragement from the Board of Regents to use multiple measures assessment to place students, most colleges still rely heavily on standardized test scores. When test scores are not available, students are often defaulted into corequisites, adding to their course load and tuition costs. Many students are not aware they can qualify for gateway courses without corequisites or do not understand how to submit placement info, creating unnecessary barriers.
Faculty are on board with corequisites, but they are navigating trade-offs. Across campuses, most instructors expressed strong support for the shift away from traditional prerequisite remediation. They see value in giving students access to college-level courses with built-in support. But faculty are also managing big challenges like wide variation in student preparation, inconsistent attendance, and uneven engagement.
Students like earning college-level credit, but corequisites have some drawbacks for students.Students appreciated jumping into courses that could lead to college-level credit. Still, many said the extra corequisite hours made their schedules harder to manage on top of existing obligations, such as family and work. Motivation, connection with instructors, and feeling seen in the classroom came up frequently as keys to staying on track.
Faculty want relevant training. From improving reading comprehension to fostering critical thinking, faculty want to learn practical teaching strategies they can use immediately. While statewide professional development opportunities exist, instructors often found the training to be too abstract or disconnected from their day-to-day teaching needs. Many are looking for tangible training that speaks directly to their classroom experience.
Collaboration was important for successful adaptation. Where corequisite implementation went well, it was because of collaboration. Faculty, advisors, and department leaders who met regularly, shared resources, and tweaked their models together said that they were able to adapt faster and support students more effectively.
Year 2: Building on What We Have Learned
In Year 2, we will continue to deepen our understanding of corequisites while our project partners at Boston College and the University of Texas at Austin evaluate a professional development fellowship for corequisite faculty members called the Corequisite Meauxtivators (pronounced “Motivators”) Fellowship, created by Motivate Lab. This intervention will train faculty teaching corequisites in Louisiana on the science of learning mindsets, including concepts such as growth mindset and sense of belonging, provide them with practical strategies tailored to corequisite classrooms, and give them monthly coaching through cross-institutional professional learning networks. CCRC plans to examine instructors’ perceptions and experiences with the Meauxtivators Fellowship, the ways in which it influences teaching practice in corequisites, and opportunities for the program to improve corequisites at scale.
We are continuing to recruit Louisiana faculty members teaching corequisites. If you are interested in participating, please complete this interest form by July 11, 2025. Eligible corequisite faculty members will be randomized into one group participating in the Corequisite Meauxtivators Fellowship or a second group participating in a Corequisite Policy and Practice Partnership, where instructors will collaborate with the research team to identify promising corequisite policies and practices. Both will take place during the 2025-2026 academic year. All instructors will receive a $1,000 stipend in addition to the professional development opportunities.
By the end of the study in 2027, our goal is to provide actionable insights for college leaders, faculty members, and policymakers committed to promoting student success via corequisite models.
