Legislative Report on Developmental Education for the High School Class of 2016

Overview & Synopsis

This report provides data on the effects of developmental education on students at Colorado's public higher education institutions and aims to inform the ongoing dialogue regarding preparation for college. Specifically, it documents the data gathered by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE) on students from the Colorado High School Class of 2016 who participated in development education during the 2016-2017 Academic Year (Summer and Fall 2016 and Spring 2017). The report is submitted to the Education Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), and each Colorado public school district superintendent. This report summarizes the current developmental education landscape for the Colorado High School Class of 2016, including their enrollment rates and outcomes in developmental education courses and the student and state costs of providing developmental education courses. The report also summarizes reforms to Colorado's traditional developmental education system as well as a number of initiatives across the state targeted at reducing students' need for developmental education courses and decreasing the amount of time they spend taking these classes.