Assessing Readiness and Needs for Systemic Implementation of Developmental Education Reforms
Strong Start to Finish (SStF) curates and customizes technical assistance for sites (e.g., states, systems, intermediaries, institutions) that addresses the unique context and challenges to effective adoption and implementation of developmental education reforms. This assessment should be used by sites to help identify strengths and needs, and engage in meaningful reflection that can help to maximize the success of technical assistance services offered through the SStF network.
We promote and support three strategies of developmental education reform that are proven to increase student completion of college-level (gateway) math and English courses:
- Multiple measures placement approaches that consider high school GPA when placing students into gateway math and English courses.
- Corequisite learning support models that replace prerequisite developmental education course sequences and are offered concurrently with student enrollment in gateway math and English courses.
- Mathematics pathways that ensure first-year, credit-bearing mathematics courses align with degree pathways.
SStF is built upon the Core Principles for Transforming Remedial Education as Part of a Comprehensive Student Success Strategy. The Core Principles reflect the cumulative evidence-based practice of researchers, policy leaders, and practitioners that are committed to improving college completion and eliminating ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, and age-based gaps in postsecondary outcomes. Additionally, SStF is committed to a Quality Standards and Continuous Improvement Process (QuIP) for ensuring the design and delivery of high-quality technical assistance.
Purpose of the Readiness Assessment
The primary purpose of this assessment is to assess the strengths and needs of sites to maximize the success of technical assistance services provided through the SStF network. The secondary purpose is to provide sites that intend to increase gateway course completion with a tool that will help them engage in meaningful reflection on their progress and seed ideas about next steps. The latter can be useful whether or not a site seeks services through the SStF network.
We use the term sites to refer to any state, system or institution that is considering or already engaged in any of the three strategies of developmental education reform described above to increase gateway course completion. Sites may be working on one or more of these three strategies.
How to Use the Readiness Assessment
SStF sites, Higher Endeavor Ecosystem sites or intermediaries, and any other non-network states, systems, or institutions that are considering or already engaged in developmental education are welcome to use this assessment. Sites and intermediaries should use this assessment as a first step in the process for requesting services. Non-network states, systems, or institutions should use the assessment independently and reach out to SStF to discuss services or other types of support for their developmental education reform efforts.
Process for Sites and Intermediaries:
- SStF will coordinate with the site or intermediary to assess what information is already available about the institution(s) interested in developmental education reform and will determine if there is a need for site reflection and additional information.
- SStF will request the site or intermediary to complete either the full assessment, or a subset of specific questions. We may also use the assessment as a guide in a discussion with a site or intermediary. Sites and intermediaries may be working with multiple institutions at very different stages of readiness. Generally, states and systems will answer questions to reflect their overall progress across institutions rather than try to capture the nuance of every institution. In the case of intermediaries, it might be more appropriate to collect information by institution. We will work with the site or intermediary to determine an effective approach for each context.
- Submit your responses, and any supporting documents, if applicable, via email to info@strongstart.org. Please include “Readiness Assessment” in the subject line.
- SStF will collaborate with the site or intermediary to develop a request for proposals for services using the SStF Menu of Services.
- SStF will send the request for proposals and the information submitted in the assessment to the SStF Service Provider Partners and will organize a call so service providers can speak to the site or intermediary about their service request.
- SStF Service Provider Partners will submit proposals and the site or intermediary will select a provider and develop a scope of work and contract.
Process for Non-Network States, Systems, or Institutions:
- Download the Readiness Assessment using the link below.
- Use the instructions in the Readiness Assessment to guide you and your team in completing Parts 1 and 2. States and systems may be working with multiple institutions at very different stages of readiness. Generally, states and systems will answer questions to reflect their overall progress across institutions rather than try to capture the nuance of every institution.
- Submit your responses, and any supporting documents, if applicable, via email to info@strongstart.org. Please include “Readiness Assessment” in the subject line. A Strong Start team member will then reach out to discuss next steps.
