Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Postsecondary Remediation On African American Students: A Review Of Research., Ryan J. Davis, Robert T. Palmer

Robert T. Palmer, PhD

The role of remediation in higher education has generated much debate over the last two decades. While states have enacted policies that reduced or eliminated postsecondary remediation, many policy actors and analysts have not completely acknowledged the ways in which remediation affects college access and success for African American students. This review of research first explains why African American students are disproportionately underprepared for college-level work. Then, the authors summarize the debates concerning the role of remediation in higher education, synthesize the research on the effectiveness of postsecondary remediation, and discuss major and recent policy enactments. They draw implications for …