Bridging the Divide: Deepening Corequisites Across Texas

As Texas institutions navigate the best way to implement corequisite courses, the Deepening Corequisites Across Texas (DCAT) project continues to support two- and four-year institutions in addressing shared challenges. Through 1:1 support, webinars, and a growing Community of Practice (CoP), DCAT is at the forefront of mobilizing a statewide initiative that can serve as a blueprint for corequisite partnerships in other states.

The focus on bringing universities and colleges together emphasizes a critical need: institutions must align their approach to help students more effectively. While no single corequisite model is best, some emerging best practices could be collectively leveraged to smooth out discrepancies in core corequisites.

Uniting Two- and Four-Year Institutions for Corequisite Support

While two-year colleges have led the charge in implementing and refining corequisite education, the story is less clear for four-year institutions in Texas. Historically, four-year institutions either didn’t need to address developmental education or took a different approach, often focusing on traditional prerequisite models (e.g., beginning algebra). Under these circumstances, many four-year institutions are just beginning their corequisite journeys, exploring how to best integrate these models into their systems.

What’s more, two- and four-year institutions often operate in silos, leading to a disconnect and discrepancies in how corequisite practices are approached. Bridging this gap is critical for institutional success and students who often transition between these systems. 

Through initiatives like DCAT, four-year institutions have a unique opportunity to learn from the rich experiences that their two-year counterparts have gained from years of iteration in corequisite education. Additionally, two-year colleges bring a fresh perspective, innovative ideas, and valuable insights that enrich the conversation. As a result, four-year institutions can not only fast-track their efforts, they can also avoid common pitfalls and build on proven strategies.

Establishing Key Practices for Student Success

Through intentional guidance, DCAT is helping institutions—regardless of type—enhance student success by focusing on these key priorities:

• Robust Placement Strategies: Expanding beyond traditional assessments to ensure students are accurately placed.
• Comprehensive Student Support: Strengthening student services, such as advising and tutoring, to promote persistence.
• Engaging Learning Environments: Creating active classrooms that foster deeper understanding and confidence.
• Flexible Pathway Options: Enhancing advising and course pathways to align with students' goals and provide recovery options as needed.

By fostering collaboration, DCAT empowers institutions to align their efforts and build a stronger, more effective system and a more cohesive educational pathway that meets the needs of all students.

Corequisites Are Here to Stay

Corequisite education is becoming a national priority as more students are showing the benefits of being placed directly in their transfer-level courses. DCAT’s focus on improving systemic practices aims to strengthen partnerships between two- and four-year institutions—closing achievement gaps and stabilizing student transfer in the process. All students deserve consistent, high-quality guidance throughout their educational journeys; corequisites accomplish this by eliminating remedial education barriers and placing students directly into credit-bearing courses coupled with just-in-time instructional support. 

The Path Ahead for DCAT 

The exciting news is that progress is already underway! Conversations between two- and four-year institutions are currently happening, fostering the alignment necessary to guide students effectively. This work is particularly important as many states begin implementing corequisite education, whether it be in response to legislative requirements or simply because they know that corequisites are best suited for students who need support. 

The upcoming Spring 2025 DCAT conference will provide a platform for two- and four-year institutions to share insights, discuss challenges, and collaborate on solutions. As DCAT aims to solidify a unified approach to corequisite education across Texas, we remain committed to fostering collaboration, scaling effective strategies, and ensuring access to high-quality mathematics education.