Improving the Targeting of Treatment: Evidence from College Remediation

Help or Hindrance? The Effects of College Remediation on Academic and Labor Market Outcomes

Review of Economics and Statistics ◽

10.1162/rest_a_00098 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 93 (2) ◽

pp. 436-454 ◽

Cited By ~ 106

Author(s):

Paco Martorell ◽

Isaac McFarlin

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

Labor Market Outcomes ◽

Market Outcomes ◽

College Remediation

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Development, Discouragement, or Diversion? New Evidence on the Effects of College Remediation Policy

Education Finance and Policy ◽

10.1162/edfp_a_00150 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 4-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Judith Scott-Clayton ◽

Olga Rodriguez

Keyword(s):

Degree Completion ◽

Proficiency Test ◽

Community College System ◽

College Level ◽

Remedial Courses ◽

College Remediation ◽

College System ◽

Background Data ◽

Alternative Hypotheses ◽

New Evidence

Half of all college students will enroll in remedial coursework but evidence of its effectiveness is mixed. Using a regression-discontinuity design with data from a large urban community college system, we make three contributions. First, we articulate three alternative hypotheses regarding the potential impacts of remediation. Second, in addition to credits and degree completion we examine several underexplored outcomes, including initial enrollment, grades in subsequent courses, and post-treatment proficiency test scores. Finally, we exploit rich high school background data to examine impact heterogeneity by predicted dropout risk. We find that remedial assignment does little to develop students’ skills. But we also find little evidence that it discourages initial enrollment or persistence, except for a subgroup we identify as potentially misassigned to remediation. Instead, the primary effect of remediation appears to be diversionary: students simply take remedial courses instead of college-level courses. These diversionary effects are largest for the lowest-risk students.

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