CT State reports early gains from co‑requisite placement but asks for more time to refine ACME policy

Dr. Ira Hynek, presenting the ACME update for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, told regents on Feb. 14 that early results from a move toward co‑requisite course placement show improved first‑year outcomes but also continued equity gaps, and he asked the committee to allow faculty shared‑governance groups more time to refine implementation before full rollout in fall 2025.

The ACME policy, Hynek said, traces to a formal policy adopted in 2021 and earlier national studies that questioned the effectiveness of traditional developmental education and placement exams. Hynek reported that about 8,000 students enrolled in co‑requisite or developmental education courses in fall 2023 — roughly 23% of CT State students — and that students placed into co‑requisite English and math showed higher first‑year completion and retention on multiple metrics.

Why this matters: co‑requisite placement is a major change in how students are placed into college‑level courses. CT State officials said the approach is linked to higher course completion and retention but that the college must track longer‑term measures, including performance in subsequent courses and degree completion, to judge the policy’s full effect and equity implications.

Hynek summarized key findings: co‑requisite English enrollments (18–19% of relevant students)…