# Presentation: 319625

##  The Impact of Postsecondary Remediation Using a Regression Discontinuity Approach:Addressing Endogenous Sorting and Noncompliance

*** ******The Impact of Postsecondary Remediation Using a Regression Discontinuity Approach:******Addressing Endogenous Sorting and Noncompliance***

**Juan Carlos Calcagno**
- Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
- IES Research Conference
- June 11th, 2008

## >> Introduction: Why is this Important?

**>> Introduction: Why is this Important?**

**Little is known about the *****causal effects***** of remediation on student outcomes:**
- Lack of data
- Nonrandom selection into remediation

**Controversial topic in postsecondary education:**
- Remediation increases access but is costly to states and colleges
- Should we pay twice for academic preparation that should have occurred in secondary school?
- Large proportion of entering students requiring remedial courses
- Remedial credits do not count toward degrees, but students pay tuition for these courses

## >> Contribution of this Study

- Use a quasi-experimental design (regression discontinuity) based on a remedial placement cutoff rule to solve the selection problem.
- Discuss threats to internal validity and implications for practice: noncompliance and endogenous sorting

**>> Contribution of this Study**

## >> FL Administrative Dataset 

- All first-time, degree-seeking community college students starting in the Fall of 1997 to 2000 (over 100,000 records)
- Term-by-term transcript data through Spring of 2006
- All test scores reported (CPT, SAT, ACT) plus other controls
- Outcomes: passing Algebra/English 101, retention, certificate, associate degree, transfer to state 4-year college, credits earned (remedial and non-remedial)

## >> The Regression Discontinuity Design: Intuition

**Beth and Becky are observationally similar**

**Endogenous Sorting: Beth retests to place out of remediation**

## >> Noncompliance

- Probability of Enrollment in Remediation
- by CPT Score and Subject

- `

- CPT Score Relative to Math Cutoff

- CPT Score Relative to Reading Cutoff

## >> Endogenous Sorting around Cutoff

**>> Endogenous Sorting around Cutoff**

- Density of Reading CPT for Institution E

## >> The Econometric Model

- D: assignment to remediation (below cutoff)

-  is the intention-to-treat estimator (ITT)

- Z: CPT test score

- Robustness tests: (1) add controls; (2) narrow sample; (3) endogenous sorting; (4) functional form & standard errors

## >> The Impact of Math Remediation

**>> The Impact of Math Remediation**

## >> The Impact of Reading Remediation

**>> The Impact of Reading Remediation**

## >> Summary of Findings

- Math remediation increases persistence to 2nd year (2 to 3.8%) *for students on the margin of passing the cutoff*.
-  Impacts on total credits earned are positive (7 and 3 points, M & R), but not different from zero for *college-level* credits.
-  No statistical differences for all other outcomes
-  The likelihood of passing *English 101* was slightly lower for reading remedial students while no difference was found in passing *Algebra 101* for math remedial students.

## >> Policy Implications

- Remediation might promote early persistence in college, but it does not necessarily help students *on the margin of passing the cutoff* to make progress toward a degree.
-  Costs of remediation should be given careful consideration in light of the limited benefits.
-  State Departments of Education should explore noncompliance and retesting practices and consider potential consequences.