El Paso Community College
As El Paso Community College's (EPCC) enrollment grows, Achieving the Dream strategies are reducing the number of students who need developmental English and math, and are increasing enrollment and completion rates in gateway English and math courses.
Data-informed interventions help EPCC students prepare for college. Their influence can be seen in the greater proportions of students completing developmental and gateway courses.
While overall enrollment at EPCC grew from Fall 2003 to Fall 2009:
- Fewer first-time-in-college (FTIC) students required placements in all three developmental education areas: English, math, and reading
- More FTIC students needed just one developmental education course
- Fewer entering students are placing into developmental English and math
- A greater percentage of students completed developmental math
EPCC is building a college-going culture in an urban border area where 82% of residents are Hispanic, 27% are low-income; and 54% have a high school diploma or less education. The median household income in the community of more than 750,000 residents is $36,519.
The college’s Achieving the Dream core team first engaged EPCC’s faculty and the regional education community by publicly sharing data and encouraging collaboration. The College Readiness Initiative they developed united multiple college-preparation efforts. This initiative’s community outreach informs students, parents, teachers, counselors, and other stakeholders about the importance of EPCC’s placement tests. High schools now administer the tests to their students well ahead of graduation.
In addition to the College Readiness Initiative, EPCC uses four other Achieving the Dream strategies to increase both student success and college access.
The Summer Bridge Program offers intensive instruction in reading, writing, and math, as well as mentoring and tutoring for students placed in developmental courses.
Math Emporium computer software and “just-in-time” instruction help students in developmental math courses master mathematics concepts at their own pace.
The Pretesting Retesting Educational Preparation program's case management approach prepares students for entry assessments.
Six Early College High Schools accelerate the learning of diverse students who have not been previously identified as academic stars.
