Preparing Underprepared Students for
Success:
A Collaborative Response to a Legislative
Challenge
James Gentile
Ken Klucznik
Manchester Community College,
Manchester CT
Public Higher Education In
Connecticut
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From This:
University of Connecticut
Four State Universities
Twelve Community Colleges
Charter Oak College (online)
 Each with its own administration, budget, support staff,
faculty, and curriculum
 Each with unique service areas (rather than curricular or
vocational focuses)
 CSUs and CCs with Chancellors and for CCs, President
and Dean Councils
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To This:
ConnSCU
12 community colleges
4 state universities
(not University of Connecticut)
online state university
under a common Board of Regents
PA 12-40: An Act Concerning College Readiness and
Completion
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[N]o public institution of higher education shall offer any
remedial support, including remedial courses, that is not
embedded with the corresponding entry level course. . . .
. . . except such institution may offer a student a maximum of one
semester of remedial support that is not embedded.
[I]f a public institution of higher education determines . . . that a
student is below the skill level required for success in college
level work, the public institution of higher education shall offer
such student the opportunity to participate in an intensive college
readiness program before the start of the next semester.
Interpretation of Law
Tiered System of Instruction
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In response to Public Act 12-40, the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (ConnSCU) faculty is re-designing developmental
education using a tiered system of instruction with three levels as described below.
College Level
College-level instruction; a course numbered 100 or higher
Embedded Level
College-level instruction with embedded developmental support designed for students with 12th grade skills (or
close to that) who are approaching college readiness but require some remediation; college-level components must
be numbered 100 or higher.
Intensive Level
A single semester of developmental education or an intensive readiness experience for students below the 12th
grade level; if structured as a course, must be numbered below 100.
In addition, institutions have joined together in four regional groups to devise strategies to address students who demonstrate
significant gaps in skills levels or are unsuccessful in an initial attempt in an intensive-level offering.
Transitional Strategies
Strategies for students with eighth grade skill levels or below developed by groups from colleges and universities
in each geographical region of the state.
http://www.ct.edu/initiatives/dev-education
Student Needs
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Pre PA 12-49 (MCC)
003 (3 hours)
066 (6 hours) 
093 (3 hours) 
101 (college-level 3 credits)
Post PA 12-40 (MCC)
One developmental course with
outcomes leading to
101 (college-level 3 credits)
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2012-2013 College Access Challenge Grant
ConnSCU Remediation Redesign Support
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Outcomes
Created outcomes for a 6 credit
developmental course
Created (identical) outcomes for Composition
and Composition with embedded support
Proposed multiple measures for placement
Exchanged ideas on embedded models
through meetings and a conference
Faculty
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General Consensus
 CCs reached consensus on outcomes and placement
 Several CCs wanted to maintain autonomy on
delivery methods due to
 low-performing student populations
 different philosophies (reading and writing split)
 their institutions academic cultural norms and
scheduling needs
Administration
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Ambivalence
 Approved of consensus on outcomes
 Concerns over scalability
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Financial impact
Enrollment impact
Faculty work-load
Dependence on part-time faculty
Shared Concerns
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 Change in Mission
 Distinct College Demographics and Student Needs
 Distinct College Departmental Philosophies, Structures,
and Resources
 Elimination of developmental sequence  Less time to
remediate significant deficiencies
 Impact on prerequisites across the college—degree of
student preparedness for college coursework
 Scalability (Scheduling, Costs, Full-time Faculty
Workload, Part-time Faculty Dependence)
Positive Outcomes
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 Reflects cross-campus consensus on significant
placement, curriculum, and assessment issues
 Develops possibility for seamless transfer of
developmental work across campuses
 Emphasizes reading-writing connection
 Accelerates student movement into college-level work
 Provides individualized instruction / Provides
reinforcement gauged to student needs
 Creates an atmosphere of support and engenders
confidence