Working Paper: NBER ID: w14194
Authors: Juan Carlos Calcagno; Bridget Terry Long
Abstract: Remedial or developmental courses are the most common instruments used to assist postsecondary students who are not ready for college-level coursework. However, despite its important role in higher education and substantial costs, there is little rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of college remediation on the outcomes of students. This study uses a detailed dataset to identify the causal effect of remediation on the outcomes of nearly 100,000 college students in Florida. Using a Regression Discontinuity design, we provide causal estimates while also investigating possible endogenous sorting around the policy cutoff. The results suggest math and reading remedial courses have mixed benefits. Being assigned to remediation appears to increase persistence to the second year and the total number of credits completed for students on the margin of passing out of the requirement, but it does not increase the completion of college-level credits or eventual degree completion. Taken together, the results suggest that remediation might promote early persistence in college, but it does not necessarily help students on the margin of passing the placement cutoff make long-term progress toward earning a degree.
Keywords: postsecondary education; remediation; regression discontinuity; educational outcomes
JEL Codes: C1; I2; J24
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Being assigned to math remediation (C90) | increases persistence to the second year (C41) |
| increases persistence to the second year (C41) | does not translate into increased completion of college-level credits (D29) |
| Being assigned to math remediation (C90) | does not translate into eventual degree attainment (Y40) |
| For reading remediation (Y50) | slight negative impact on passing subsequent college-level English composition courses (A21) |
| Students in remediation (I21) | earn more total credits (A39) |
| earn more total credits (A39) | does not significantly affect the number of college-level (non-remedial) credits earned (D29) |
| earn more total credits (A39) | does not enhance progression towards degree completion (Y40) |