PASS - Program for Accelerated Student Success

Developmental Education

Vision

Students who complete the Chesapeake College Developmental EducationProgram will use the appropriate and effective skills and learning strategies necessary for academic and lifelong learning.

Goals

The Chesapeake College Developmental Education Program will prepare students for success in college-level coursework by:
• Offering students a coordinated learning experience,
• Accelerating their completion of developmental education courses, and
• Providing interventions that help them meet their educational goals.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Developmental Education Program, students will be able to:
1. Apply reading strategies in order to understand written materials.
2. Write well organized paragraphs and essays that conform to Standard American English, using correct grammar and mechanics in the writing process.
3. Apply the mathematical skills required in performing operations and problem- solving related to pre-algebra, elementary algebra, and intermediate algebra.

PASS Program

The Program for Accelerated Student Success (PASS) at Chesapeake College is designed to help students gain the math, reading, and writing skills needed to be successful in college-level courses. PASS courses provide personalized instruction that helps students identify their specific needs and master these skills as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Courses are offered in English (which includes reading comprehension and writing skills) and math. “Boot-camp modules” that help students prepare for subsequent courses are also available.

Are You Ready? Students of all ages come to Chesapeake with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. To help students determine if they are ready for college-level coursework, Chesapeake uses an Accuplacer Assessment. This instrument measures entry-level skills in mathematics, language, and reading; the results of which allow academic advisors to assist students with course selection. Students with placement scores below college ready are required to begin developmental coursework their first semester.

Students qualify for PASS courses based on their Accuplacer Assessment scores, so it is extremely important that they are prepared, allow sufficient time to take the test, and do as well as possible to ensure placement at the highest level of English or math to meet their individual needs.Enrollment in credit classes that require college-level English and math skills will be limited until the appropriate PASS courses have been completed. Students can prepare for the Accuplacer test by studying sample questions found at http://www.accuplacer-test.com/.

Ensuring Your Success: PASS classes have a lower student to instructor ratio than other college courses so that instructors and tutors can provide students with individual attention and immediate feedback. Classes are personalized, so students can move quickly through areas where they are proficient, and have extra time to develop skills in areas where they are not.

With sufficient motivation and effort, students can progress through PASS courses at an accelerated rate and may be eligible for increased access to credit courses the following semester. Under this continuous progress model, students making progress but not able to complete within the semester, will register the next semester and begin where they left off.

Why is PASS so Important? We measure our success by the success of our students and want to help prepare them for college in every way possible. PASS courses are not meant to be a barrier to completing college; in fact, the opposite is true. PASS courses can actually shorten a student’s time to completion by ensuring student success and reducing the need to repeat courses.

Our evidence shows that students who successfully complete their developmental work early are more likely to finish Chesapeake College with a degree or to transfer to a four-year university than students who attempt college courses without having completed developmental preparation. This fact makes perfect sense—by succeeding in PASS courses, students have a semester to become familiar with college life while strengthening their foundation for credit-level college classes.