Fast Track - Improving Placement and Retention in Developmental Math

1. Fast Track - Improving Placementand Retention in Developmental Math Bill Coe, Montgomery College Suzanne Williams, Central Piedmont CC Debbie Moses, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Jane Weber, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Presentation at 10 am to 11 am on May 21, Monday in Room 11B. Capacity is 74 people.Presentation at 10 am to 11 am on May 21, Monday in Room 11B. Capacity is 74 people.

3. What is Fast Track? Two fast paced intensive review courses Basic Fast Track covers Prealgebra and Elementary Algebra Advanced Fast Track covers Elementary Algebra and Intermediate Algebra

4. About Montgomery College Largest Community College in Maryland (over 24,000 credit students on three campuses) Diverse student population (33% international, 175 countries represented)

5. History of Fast Track at MC

6. Fast Track Course Objectives Save time (one or two semesters) Save money Improve placement of students Retention

7. Our Target Population Graduating high school seniors Adults returning to school after long absences

8. Fast Track Course Structure Two weeks, twenty hours for each course Basic Fast Track 7 hours Prealgebra 11 hours Elementary Algebra 2 hours testing and counseling Advanced Fast Track 10 hours Elementary Algebra 8 hours Intermediate Algebra 2 hours testing and counseling

9. Fast Track Results to Date Summary by placement level Out of 1395 students�. Down one level: 21 students (1.5%) Same level: 334 students (23.9%) Up one level: 486 students (34.8%) Up two levels: 221 students (15. 8%) Undetermined: 333 students (23.9%)

10. More Fast Track Results Of those students who were officially enrolled in the recommended course in the semester following enrollment in Fast Track, and passed with a C or better: FT Students Non FT Students Prealgebra: 60% 48% Elem Alg: 55% 44% Interm Alg: 61% 54% CLM: 67% 67%

11. Still More Results Comparison of Fast Track students to non FT students by grade (A or B): FT Students Non FT Students Prealgebra 74% 69% Elementary Algebra 62% 55% Intermediate Algebra 69% 59% College Level Math 73% 60%

12. �and Still More Results Retention Rates of Fast Track students to non FT students: 55% of FT students complete a CLM class within 2 years of successfully completing the Elementary Algebra portion of Fast Track or Advanced Fast Track. 41% of non FT students complete a CLM class within 2 years of completing Elementary Algebra.

13. Advertising Fast Track Counselors and faculty Prep Talk (newsletter to high school seniors) Continuing Education office Credit and non credit schedules of classes Direct Mail Flyers Brochures Web page (montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/FastTrack.html)

14. How we have done FT at CPCC All classes are 15 hours total, with last class review and test. The three levels offered are: Fast Track Pre-algebra (15 hours) Fast Track Beginning Algebra (15 Hours) Fast Track Intermediate Algebra (15 hours) Over 400 students enrolled in since Summer, 2007 with 300 in 2008

15. When do we offer Fast Track Day and night 2.5 hour classes (Friday nights and Saturday mornings, if necessary) Pre-Spring (2009 January 5-10) Pre-Summer (2008 May 12-17) Pre-Summer (2008 August 5-11) Students �required� to enroll in the curriculum math in the following semester.

16. How our FT students have done FT Non FT Non FT Beg Alg Int Alg A,B,C 71%(85%) 50%(71%) 43% (66%) Withdrew 17% 30% 34% D or F 12% 20% 23% (One semester of FT data, longitudinal non-FT data/*% after W�s removed )

17. Problems to be Solved Selecting a text and getting copies delivered on time Getting students registered for next class in time to start the semester Ensuring consistency of instruction

18. Wildlife You May Encounter on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus Photo by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communications

19.   A Normal Winter Day at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Photo by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communications

20. The University of Alaska Fairbanks at a Glance Total Enrollment � About 10,000 students Includes Fairbanks main campus as well as 6 community/rural campuses Very diverse student population Median age � 31 Very large percentage of non-traditional students One fifth of total student population � Alaska Native/American Indian

21. More Glancing� Fast Track offered in Fairbanks only (for the Fairbanks Main Campus and Tanana Valley Campus) 8790 total students 2007-2008 Over 14% of total number of students (8790) take Developmental Math courses (1222)

22. Fast Track at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Offered two-weeks prior to each semester for twenty hours (morning and afternoon times) Pre-Fall (2007 August 21-31) Fast Track only Pre-Spring (2008 January 7-18) Fast Track only Pre-Summer (2008 May 12-23) Fast Track and Advanced Fast Track

23. Fast Track Success Rates at UAF 41 students enrolled in Fast Track during the 2007-2008 academic year Of those students who were officially enrolled in the recommended course following enrollment in Fast Track, those who passed with a C or better: FT Students Non FT Students 86% 50%

24. UAF Fast Track Results by Placement Level Out of 41 students� Down one level: 2% Same level: 64% Up one level: 24% Up two levels: 0% Undetermined: 10%

25. Obstacles and Challenges of UAF Fast Track Program Prior to Mandatory Placement, students could enroll in course at higher level than recommended Not all FT students take final placement test Not all FT students interested in improving placement level� some just want refresher Not all FT students enroll in math course in subsequent semester

26. Plans for Improvement of FT Program at UAF Placement test to be given first day of FT (in addition to final day) Offer for credit� requiring pre and post test to receive credit Improve advertisement of Fast Track courses Expand to rural campuses; via audio

27. How to Start a FT-like Program Determine what courses it should cover Offer through Continuing Education? Talk to a number of schools about their start up experiences Determine the number of classroom hours Develop course materials Make a presentation to your counselors Advise all math faculty of the plan Develop a brochure for interested students Develop a flyer Other school references: U of Alaska: Debbie Moses Mountain Empire CC: Sylvia Brown Johnson County CC: Libby Corriston Central Piedmont CC: Suzanne WilliamsOther school references: U of Alaska: Debbie Moses Mountain Empire CC: Sylvia Brown Johnson County CC: Libby Corriston Central Piedmont CC: Suzanne Williams

28. Start Up Contacts Mountain Empire CC: Sylvia Brown sbrown@me.vccs.edu Rock Valley College: Kathleen Almy kalmy@ednet.rvc.il.us Madison Area Technical College: Judy Jones jjones@matcmadison.edu Stanly CC: Nancy Joines joinesnh@stanly.edu

29. Contacts for the Presenters Bill Coe � william.coe@montgomerycollege.edu Suzanne Williams � suzanne.williams@cpcc.edu Debbie Moses � ffdmm@uaf.edu Jane Weber � ffjw@uaf.edu

30. Conclusions Better Placement Better Grades Improved Retention