In partnership with MDRC, CCRC is conducting an evaluation of CUNY Start, a pre-matriculation program designed to help students with substantial needs in basic skills to succeed in college. CUNY Start provides intensive instruction in reading, writing, and math through a customized curriculum and structured instruction delivered by trained teachers. Additionally, CUNY Start provides supports in the form of advisors, tutors, and a weekly seminar that addresses college success skills. The program charges students $75 for the semester, allowing them to preserve their financial aid for future college-credit coursework.
This study seeks to understand the academic outcomes and experiences of students participating in CUNY Start and students participating in other developmental courses and services at four City University of New York (CUNY) community colleges. It will also examine how CUNY Start is implemented, how usual college developmental courses and services are implemented, and the relative costs of both.
An MDRC research brief released in April 2016 describes the CUNY Start program and the evaluation.
This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.