Gateway Course Completion: Reconnecting to the Promise of Community Colleges
Across Michigan’s community colleges, there's a shift our thinking. We used to ask whether students were ready for college—now, we’re focused on what colleges need to do to be ready for students.The Michigan Reconnect Scholarship has given colleges the chance to redesign a system of developmental education that hasn't been working for students across the state. This work begins with the premise that higher education is only valuable if all students are given a real chance to succeed. And research has shown that traditional developmental education practices have been preventing far too many students from ever accessing a college-level course, much less earning a credential. Hear from experts about the state of developmental education and what reform means for community college students across Michigan.
The Michigan Center for Student Success is committed to helping colleges increase the number and percentage of historically underrepresented students who successfully complete gateway courses in English and mathematics through the comprehensive redesign of developmental education and placement processes. With support from our colleagues in state government, business, and philanthropy, and with the full participation of our 31 community and tribal colleges, we are prepared to continue leading a statewide effort to reconnect all students to the promise of higher education.
The resources provided below highlight initiatives previously led by the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA), focusing on evidence-based practices aimed at improving gateway course completion outcomes. These research-backed strategies address the common challenges students face in foundational courses that are pivotal to their academic success. These resources complement the journey map, which provides a clear, visual representation of MCCA's work, to create a seamless continuum of support for students from enrollment to successful completion of gateway courses. By leveraging this interconnected framework, colleges can foster deeper student engagement, improve retention, and ultimately boost completion rates in these critical courses, laying the foundation for long-term academic and career success.
Landscape ScanA key step in reforming developmental education at community colleges is to develop a clear understanding of the existing developmental education landscape. Self-assessment provides invaluable insight, helping institutions identify strengths and gaps, tailor interventions, and pave the way for meaningful improvements in student outcomes.
Pre/Early-Enrollment InterventionCommunity Colleges across Michigan have developed innovative programming aimed at helping students accelerate their learning and bridge educational gaps through tailored college readiness supports, pre-college intervention, and completion of gateway mathematics or English through dual enrollment.
Corequisite Mathematics and English Scaled IntegrationMCCA is dedicated to helping colleges redesign developmental education, offering students — especially underrepresented groups — a viable chance to succeed in college-level courses. Reforms focus on aligning math courses with career paths, improving gateway course completion, and easing transitions from high school to college-level math.
Guided Self-PlacementGuided Self-Placement empowers students to take an active role in determining their readiness for college-level courses. By offering clear, informed pathways and self-assessment tools, students can choose courses that align with their skill level and academic goals.
GSP in Michigan Context
Guided Self-Placement Principles
Professional Learning Space - GSP
GSP in Michigan: Spotlight on Implementation and Practice
Best Practices in Corequisite Teaching and Learning Best practices in teaching and learning, combined with effective corequisite course design, are key to improving gateway course success. By using evidence-based strategies and targeted support, colleges can enhance student learning and increase success in credit-bearing courses.
Gateway Course Success Outcomes EvaluationOngoing evaluation of corequisite integration is essential to assess its impact on gateway course success. Routine review of course outcomes help institutions to refine strategies and ensure effective support.
Continuous ImprovementColleges should continuously review data-driven insights to help refine policies, enhance teaching practices, scale successful activities and interventions, and ensure effective measurement of student success, driving sustained improvement in gateway courses.
Current Work
MCCA in partnership with Almy Education and Achieving the Dream
Developmental Mathematics Reform in Michigan
Focus: Refining corequisite implementation and enhancing corequisite teaching and learning. Guided-self-placement integration.