New Approach to Math Eliminates Major Obstacle to Completion

By Dr. Edward C. Ortell, Citrus College Governing Board Member

New placement strategies and innovative teaching methods in Citrus College's mathematics program have been making headlines. In fact, a May 2019 episode of PBS NewsHour, titled "Making the Grade: Rethinking College," highlights the college's efforts to increase college completion rates by modifying math education.

These changes align with state legislation that took effect in January 2018. AB 705 requires California community colleges to maximize the probability that all students will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and math within a one-year timeframe. As part of this requirement, colleges must now use one of three measures to place students into English and math courses: high school coursework, high school grades and/or high school GPA.

At Citrus College, the placement of students in math classes is now dependent upon self-reported high school GPA and the last math course completed in high school with a "C" or better. All students, including those without a recent high school record, are provided access to entry transfer-level math in their first semester.

Of course, adjusting placement methods is only one aspect of AB 705. The legislation's ultimate goal is to eliminate the need for remedial classes, which many believe are a hindrance to college completion. Prior to AB 705, students could only enroll in transfer-level English and math if their placement scores were high. Those with lower scores were placed in remedial classes to ensure that they were sufficiently prepared for the more advanced material.

Before AB 705, 80 percent of California's incoming college freshman were placed into remedial and less than 20 percent of students completed their math requirement within one year. While the remedial courses were designed to get students ready for transfer-level coursework, they were actually preventing many from completing their college degrees.

Last fall, Citrus College was the first local community college to completely eliminate remedial courses. Those students in need of remediation now enroll directly into college-level courses, while being provided with concurrent academic support. Known as the co-requisite support model, this approach enables students to bypass traditional remedial courses. In place of these classes, the students enroll in their college-level math course and in a support course at the same time.

One year after the changes were implemented, the results have been promising. College-wide, first-time student completion of transfer-level math has doubled – from 28 percent during the 2017-2018 academic year to 59 percent during the fall 2018 semester. These numbers are only expected to increase as the program evolves. In fact, the college will soon introduce co-requisite support for business calculus and precalculus. When fall 2019 classes start this month, all students will have access to transfer-level math courses relevant to their programs of study.

As the Duarte area's representative on the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees, I am proud that Citrus College is leading the way in transforming remediation and supporting student completion. The college will continue to do all it can to nourish the success of all students.