Coastal Bend College
FastTrack developmental education students at Coastal Bend College (CBC) have higher passage rates in three out of four courses than students in non-accelerated versions of the courses.
FastTrack students take developmental Reading and English as accelerated, eight-week courses. Students may schedule two sequential courses for one semester, or take just one FastTrack course during half of the semester.
- Passage rates in FastTrack Reading 0311 were 92% in Fall 2010 (n=37 students), and 100% in Spring 2011 (n=34 students). Non-accelerated Reading 0311 had 76% and 67% passage rates in Fall 2010 (n=93) and Spring 2011 (n=20), respectively.
- The passage rate for FastTrack Reading 0322 was 81% in Fall 2010 (n=41 students). Non-accelerated Reading 0322 had a 77% passage rate in Fall 2010 (n=124 students).
- Passages rates for FastTrack English 0311 were 80% in Fall 2010 (n=20 students) and 88% in Spring 2011 (n=32 students). Non-accelerated English 0311 had a 71% passage rate in Fall 2010 and 67% in Spring 2011.
- Passage rates for FastTrack English 0312, however, lagged behind non-accelerated sections. These trends are the focus of further investigation.
CBC serves nine rural south Texas counties. Its four campuses are separated by as much as 60 miles. In Fall 2010, the college had 4,300 students and of these students, 65% were Hispanic and 3% were African American.
While there are gaps in retention and success rates between students of color and white students, there are often larger gaps between male and female students at CBC. Success rates in some math courses, for instance, show a gender disparity of seven percentage points or more.
While the region's recreation areas have historically attracted hunters and nature lovers, recent advances in extraction technologies have set off an oil boom with many high-wage, low-skill jobs.
CBC incorporated Achieving the Dream goals into its strategic plan. It has also leveraged its Achieving the Dream work for reaccreditation and the Developmental Education Initiative. Evolving interventions include:
- Math Emporiums where degreed math instructors facilitate developmental math students' learning in computer labs
- The Early Alert and Retention referral system that has specialists contact and advise students who are experiencing attendance or academic issues, or other problems
- The Accelerated English Learning Community that allows students who need the last developmental English course to take a college-level English course paired with Learning Frameworks, a student success course
The Achieving the Dream Model
Achieving the Dream community colleges commit to our Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement. Based on four principles, the model frames the overall work of helping more students, particularly low- income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree.
Each college approaches the work differently, but Achieving the Dream’s five-step process provides practical guidelines for keeping the focus where it belongs and building momentum over time. Throughout the process, Achieving the Dream coaches offer customized support and help each college’s core team implement data-informed programs and policies that build long-term, institution-wide commitment to student success.
Achieving the Dream Leader Colleges
Leader Colleges are demonstrating the power of the Achieving the Dream Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement. They show us it is possible to raise persistence and graduation rates, close achievement gaps, and change lives. Leader Colleges embody the ultimate goal of Achieving the Dream, and as such, serve as mentors within our community of learners.
To be eligible for Leader College distinction, colleges must show three or more years of improvement on one or more of these five measures:
- Course completion
- Advancement from developmental to credit-bearing courses
- Completion of college-level math and English courses
- Term-to-term and year-to-year retention
- Completion of certificates or degrees
