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We know a lot about the students who don’t graduate:

• Among all first-year students, 40% need at least one remedial course; the number jumps to 60% when considering community colleges only[1].
• Across the US, postsecondary institutions spend an estimated $2 billion annually on developmental education[2].
• Even so, only 30% of students typically pass a developmental math course, and that is after taking the course an average of 2.5 times[3].

And we also know that the demands of the millennial student population are growing:

• The flexibility to consume course materials based on their schedules—not someone else’s.
• The ability to master content at their own pace, and in a way that makes learning fun and easy.
• The privacy to participate in developmental courses without feeling the “stigma” often associated with remedial learning.
• The round-the-clock support they need to help them succeed.

Meeting these demands can be challenging for institutions that face increasing resource constraints as retention, graduation rates and budgets shrink. That’s why Blackboard has partnered with K12 Inc. (K¹²), the largest provider of online education in the K-12 market, to deliver a cost-effective solution—Blackboard Developmental Education^TM (Blackboard DevEd)—that joins the award-winning curriculum and proven online instruction of K¹² with the educational technology expertise of Blackboard. We have customized the approach to meet the unique needs of postsecondary students.[4] Blackboard DevEd gives students a more personalized learning experience and allows them to progress at their own pace. We announced our pilot program to test the solution at various institutions across the U.S. recently. And, we published some preliminary findings from our pilot programs and are encouraged by the results. Educators and remediation specialists are continuously exploring ways to address this growing problem—and Blackboard and K¹² are as well.  We have been conducting extensive research, including an efficacy study that kicks off this fall, to enhance the Blackboard DevEd program and improve student outcomes. Visit Blackboard.com/DevEd to find out more about our unique blend of instruction, student support and course content. What resources have you found to be most valuable in shaping the way your institution addresses the achievement gap?

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[1] According to a report by Attewell, Lavin, Domina, and Levey (2006). New Evidence on College Remediation. The Journal of Higher Education. [2] According to a report by Strong American Schools (2008). Diploma to Nowhere. http://www.strongamericanschools.org [3] According to a report by Attewell, Lavin, Domina, and Levey (2006). New Evidence on College Remediation. The Journal of Higher Education. [4] Aventa Learning by K¹² (Aventa) is the foundational curriculum used in Blackboard DevEd.