Predictive Power of Standard Variables on Postsecondary Achievement in Arkansas

Abstract

Today, as many as 25 to 40 percent of students who attend college qualify for some form of remedial education program provided by postsecondary institutions (Kaye, Lord, Bottoms, Presson, & Cornet, 2006). Many colleges and universities view the inclusion of remediation as an integral part of their educational mission. However, the costs of such remedial programs are high. While estimates of actual costs vary greatly, most assume a national remediation expense of over one billion dollars annually. In Arkansas, the cost of remediation is over $53 million, up over 65% from costs about a decade ago (ADHE, 2006). The remediation policy in Arkansas relies on the premise that there is a single measure, namely ACT, which can predict the level of college readiness and, subsequently, the need for remediation. This study examined the predictive power of the ACT to determine college success, the relationship between the ACT and other measures of student achievement, and explored combinations of variables to determine if a stronger predictive model could be identified.