The community college systems of Virginia and North Carolina are national leaders in statewide efforts to improve developmental education. Both states have recently redesigned their developmental English and math courses, as well as their assessment instruments and placement policies, in efforts to decrease developmental education referrals, reduce the amount of time students spend in developmental education, and align developmental education across colleges and with college-level courses.
In this report, the authors provide an overview of the developmental education redesigns in both states, including their rationale, planning, design, launch, and early implementation. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data, they present preliminary findings; examine the implementation challenges experienced by the systems and colleges in Virginia and North Carolina; and discuss potential lessons for other states, districts, and colleges pursuing reforms of developmental education.
