Understanding Transfer Supports and Initiatives in Developmental Education at Two-Year Institutions. Research Briefs

Each year, millions of students enroll in open-access two-year colleges with the hope of earning skills, training, and most importantly, a degree that will allow them to pursue their goals, including transferring to a four-year institution. Developmental, or remedial, education has been found to present multiple barriers to two-year student success. These courses often prolong students' time toward transfer to four-year institutions by stalling students' progress toward achieving their academic and vocational goals. Using data from interviews with eight transfer professionals across the U.S. and its territories, this study investigated relationships between transfer support services and developmental education courses at two-year schools. More specifically, it sought to understand how transfer planning and advising are embedded within classroom content and how course activities support students' transfer. Findings reveal that transfer is often unconsidered in developmental course planning and that several factors, including resource and staff limitations and academic freedom, impact how, and the extent to which, transfer is included in developmental courses.