Background

North Central State College in Mansfield, Ohio, is co-located with a regional campus of The Ohio State University. Mansfield is a small industrial city in North Central Ohio. Educational attainment level in the region is significantly lower than in the rest of Ohio. Most of North Central State’s students are first-generation college students. Many are women from lower socio-economic and undereducated backgrounds. Sixty percent of the NC State College Achieving the Dream cohort students receives financial aid.

Each year approximately two-thirds of the college’s incoming students require one or more developmental courses. Data analysis in 2005–2006 revealed three student subpopulations with significant performance gaps in the area of developmental education. Developmental course success rates for males, African Americans and students age 23–29 were 60 percent, 57 percent and 62 percent, respectively, compared to an overall 68 percent cohort average.

Achieving the Dream Goals

North Central’s goals are to improve successful completion of developmental courses and progression to college-level courses; improve enrollment and successful completion of college-level gatekeeper courses; and improve students’ fall-to-winter and fall-to-fall persistence.

To begin this work, North Central State will first focus on the experience of the student in developmental courses. The college will implement seven new strategies to strengthen the developmental advising system, including mandatory placement for mathematics, intrusive advising, and a strong early alert system. The college also will implement nine strategies related to developmental instruction and curriculum, such as adoption of lecture/lab course formats and integration of supplemental instruction and tutoring into labs. Advisors and faculty will participate in ongoing professional development.

To maximize resources, commitment and opportunity for success, North Central has established “improving student success in developmental courses” as one of its AQIP projects.

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