Summary Of The TYCA White Paper On Developmental Education Reforms

The “TYCA White Paper on Developmental Education Reforms” discusses the challenges new legislation has created for institutions, teachers, and students involved in developmental reading and writing programs. According to TYCA, a disconnect exists between legislation and community college teachers who are in the trenches, doing the day-to-day work that enables them to witness firsthand what benefits and what harms students. Instead of requesting input from the experts prior to executing new regulation, lawmakers implement blanketed rules that give institutions and teachers very little time to create or change programs. Even in the face of such difficulties, teachers and institutions have produced courses to meet institutional and student needs; these programs include mainstreaming, studio courses, compression, integration (contextualization), stretch courses, and module courses. While all these programs all seem beneficial to students, I am more convinced of the effectiveness of the stretch program.

Additionally, the stretch program also allows teachers to get the time to know students and understand their needs. Subsequently, they are able to better assess and meet students’ needs. I think the time afforded in stretch model also allows teachers greater opportunity to establish independence in students. I worry that other courses create dependability in students when institutions seem very limited in the support that they can offer these students throughout their academic career. So, even with the struggle to retain instructors over two semesters and the increased attrition rates from the spring to fall semester, I still feel like this program is most valuable to