Analysis of the Impact of SB 1720 on Gateway Math Courses

In May 2013, the governor of Florida signed into law Senate Bill 1720, which fundamentally changed how institutions of higher education manage remedial programs. Institutions seemed to be responding to the high demand for education by channeling large percentages of incoming first-year students to remedial classes based on assessment test scores, which were not necessarily an accurate measure of student skills or potential for success. The new law eliminated mandatory assessment testing and course placement for students who graduated in 2007 or later and called for increased accountability of developmental education programs. Students were given more control over their education by allowing them to make informed choices about whether to take assessment tests and developmental courses or enroll in credit-bearing classes. The overriding question guiding this research was whether or not the state's withdrawal of support for mandatory course placement would be an asset to student achievement or would underprepared students ultimately be hurt by the opportunity to opt-out of developmental classes and enroll directly in for-credit courses. A quantitative quasi-experimental design was used to compare mathematics achievement outcomes of entering first-year students in a gateway mathematics class using two comparison groups--students who bypassed the assessment tests and developmental classes (Opt-out students), and students who took the assessment tests and followed counseling guidelines (Opt-in students). Outcomes for both groups were compared over four years (2014 to 2018) and for the previous four-year period 2011-2014. Chi-Squared tests, logistic regression, and multiple linear regressions using demographic and other independent variables were utilized to identify predictors of success (or failure) in MAT1033 for both groups of students. The role of assessment test scores as a predictor variable was also examined using regression discontinuity statistics used to test the relationship of PERT scores above and below the cutoff points to success in MAT 1033. This study purports to emphasize the importance of research to validate the systemic change. As the demand for change increases, it is critical that research continues to focus on the objective measure of success--student educational outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]