A new statewide evaluation of developmental education reform in Kentucky found that corequisite support increased first-year English course-taking and pass rates near ACT cutoffs, while math outcomes were more limited and depended on course placement. Researchers analyzed first-time freshmen in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System from 2019–20 through 2023–24, using ACT placement cutoffs to compare students assigned to corequisite support versus those without developmental support. In English, students just below the higher ACT English cutoff were more likely to take college English and pass it in the first year, with corresponding gains in total credits and English GPA. In math, corequisite support helped some students pass non-college algebra courses but did not show measurable benefits in college algebra, and students required to take prerequisites before entering corequisite-supported college-level coursework saw no clear positive effect. The results indicate corequisite models can work as a targeted intervention but are not a universal fix—especially where degree plans still require algebra.
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