College Readiness Assessment
Category: Pathways to and Through Postsecondary
This study examines the effects of remedial courses in high school on postsecondary outcomes using a regression discontinuity design and explores the mechanisms behind these effects. I find that being placed in the remedial schedule and taking an additional remedial course in high school reduces the likelihood of attaining a 2- or 4-year college degree by 20 percent. The findings also suggest that nearly half of this adverse effect is driven by the tracking effect of remediation, which significantly reduces students’ access to advanced courses in high school not only in the remediation subject but also in other core subjects.
Keywords
remedial courses; college readiness; postsecondary outcomes; human capital
Education level
Document Object Identifier (DOI)
10.26300/5a3y-aq41
