Developmental Education's Effect on Graduation and Labor Market Outcomes

• Published in: Journal of developmental education Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 10 - 17
• Main Authors: Umbach, Paul D., Clayton, Ashley B., Smith, Katie N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boone National Center for Developmental Education, Appalachian State University 01-01-2020; Appalachian State University d/b/a; National Center for Developmental Education
• Subjects: Access to information; College students; Community colleges; Comparative Analysis; Control Groups; Conversation; Cultural capital; Developmental Studies Programs; Earnings; Education; Educational Attainment; Employment Potential; Grade 10; Graduation; High School Graduates; Labor market; Language Skills; Longitudinal Studies; Outcomes of Education; Participation; Program Effectiveness; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Socioeconomic factors; Variables
• ISSN: 0894-3907

This study explores the effect of developmental courses on labor market outcome and baccalaureate degree attainment using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:02; Ingels et al, 2014). Unlike previous research that only compares those needing developmental coursework to college peers who do not need coursework, this study is the first to examine outcomes of high school students who enroll in college through developmental classes and similar high school graduates who do not enroll in college. Employing inverse probability weighting, the findings of this study provide a counternarrative to current conversations about developmental courses. We offer some important evidence to suggest that developmental courses may have a more beneficial impact than many perceive.