Course completion is the first step in student success. In Spring 2009, the student withdrawal rate from developmental education courses ranged from 25.5 to 50.8 percent. What can we do to help more students successfully complete courses?

Help students connect in the classroom. Cooperative learning helps students connect with each other and encourages both critical thinking and the social engagement needed to support persistence. Patrick Henry Community College saw gains in student engagement and course completion by adopting this strategy across multiple disciplines. For more information, see Promising Instructional Reforms in Developmental Education: A Case Study of Three Achieving the Dream Colleges (PDF).