UCLA

In California, as in many places across the nation, a new law changes placement and remediation at community colleges. Responding to research correlating direct placement with higher retention rates, and addressing low graduation, transfer, certification and rates across the state, AB 705 both rids colleges of remedial English and math courses and requires that all students can start in a transfer level course. This study uses basic qualitative methods to closely investigate the impact of this mandate’s rollout in the math department of one community college campus. Data from interviews with 13 math faculty about their opinions and perceptions around the reform was triangulated with document analysis and survey responses to generate four major categories of professors at the university and suggest directions for future research and recommendations for departmental change. In agreement with major research of reform rollout in other states, increased and more effective professional development was a clear next step. This study also added to the existing body of research by finding differences in the experiences of adjunct and full-time faculty.