{"id":1725,"date":"2013-07-03T09:37:03","date_gmt":"2013-07-03T13:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.devmathrevival.net\/?p=1725"},"modified":"2013-07-03T09:37:03","modified_gmt":"2013-07-03T13:37:03","slug":"hey-they-did-not-ban-developmental-education-and-a-call-to-arms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devmathrevival.net\/?p=1725","title":{"rendered":"Hey, they did NOT ban Developmental Education! And a call to arms …"},"content":{"rendered":"

Florida.<\/p>\n

In case you have not heard about this, Florida (meaning the legislature) passed a law which requires colleges to cease requiring courses prior to college level for many (perhaps most) students.  A summary of the bill (which has other interesting components) is at http:\/\/www.flsenate.gov\/Committees\/BillSummaries\/2013\/html\/501<\/a><\/p>\n

One way this has been reported is that ‘Florida has banned developmental courses’.  In basic ways, this seems to be the intent and the effect.  As is typical for many states in this era, the process involves an outcome designed with little professional input with a process based on no patience (or perhaps based on the attention span of the legislators).<\/p>\n

Relative to other states, and our profession, here is the risk I see: The law changes the basic definition of ‘developmental education’.  We can have developmental education without having any courses (or credits).<\/p>\n

Historically, ‘developmental education’ has two related meanings:<\/p>\n

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  1. Remedial courses (perhaps done with more student support)<\/li>\n
  2. Student development as learners (secondary goal of student success in general)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The new definition in Florida is that “developmental education is the extra service provided to enable all students to begin in college level courses” (my paraphrasing).  Most of us would call this ‘just in time remediation’.<\/p>\n

    If you read the Florida law, and the reports of it, you will see the word ‘flexibility’ repeatedly.  I am sure that this was actually a goal in the process.  However, the new ‘developmental education’ is a risk to our students.  Flexible enrollment does not mean reasonable opportunity; access for all does not mean equality.<\/p>\n

    We could agree, I hope, that a significant portion of students referred to remediation (old developmental) do not need it — either they have no meaningful gap to fill, or the gap is small enough that they would do fine with a little bit of help (new developmental).  This is a valid criticism.<\/p>\n

    We could also agree, I hope, that we have been too quick to have more developmental courses (old developmental).  It is not reasonable that a student who passed Algebra II or AP Statistics would need 2 or 3 courses before college math.  Inefficiency was a fatal flaw in the automotive industry, and it is a fatal flaw in developmental education.<\/p>\n

    Florida has declared, in effect, that the old developmental education is bankrupt and going out of business.  No bailouts.  No loans.  No recovery.  Just gone.<\/p>\n

    That is the risk raised for all of our students.  Other states have similar pressures and political forces, and read the same reports that were read in Florida.  “We don’t need to waste all that money, and we can solve this problem at the same time.”<\/p>\n

    We need to rise up.<\/p>\n

    We need to be clear that we know of problems in our work, and that we are willing to make basic changes; further, we need to show evidence of better ideas so the ‘bankrupt and out of business’ model is not so easily taken.  Yes, we even need to become involved in the political process.<\/p>\n

    Do YOU know where your state legislator is?<\/p>\n

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