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Is “credit recovery” as bad as they say?
Adam Tyner, Ph.D.
Fordham Institute Fly Paper
7.25.2024
In "Is 'credit recovery' as bad as they say?" Adam Tyner examines the effectiveness and integrity of credit recovery programs in American high schools. These programs, which allow students to regain lost credits through online courses, have been criticized for their low rigor and potential for misuse. A working paper by Carolyn Heinrich and colleagues provides a detailed analysis, particularly focusing on an online Algebra I credit recovery course.
Credit recovery programs enable students to complete computer-based modules, taking quizzes and assessments to earn high school credits they previously failed to obtain. Unlike traditional methods such as repeating a class or attending summer school, these programs have become increasingly popular due to their perceived efficiency. However, critics argue that the quality of these courses is questionable.
Heinrich’s team analyzed 1,408 assessment questions from an online Algebra I credit recovery course, categorizing them by type and using Bloom's taxonomy to evaluate their cognitive demand. The results were concerning:
The study highlights lax state policies on credit recovery. Few states regulate these programs, with New York being the only state with comprehensive rules, including requirements for student-teacher interaction. The American Enterprise Institute’s 2019 survey found minimal regulation at the district level, further compounding the problem.
Heinrich and her colleagues propose several measures to address the issues in credit recovery programs:
The article also discusses Jeremy Noonan, a whistleblower in the Paulding County School District in Georgia. Noonan exposed how his district provided test bank questions with easily searchable answers and raised awareness of these issues with various authorities. Despite his efforts, the problems were not addressed, leading him to resign and go public.
Credit recovery programs, as currently implemented, prioritize increasing graduation rates over genuine student learning. Without substantial changes, such as rigorous assessments, in-person proctoring, and robust state regulations, these programs will continue to fall short of their promise. The study underscores the need for a comprehensive overhaul to ensure that credit recovery programs effectively support student success.
For further reading, the full article can be accessed at Flypaper.
SOURCE: Jennifer Darling-Aduana, Carolyn J. Heinrich, Jeremy Noonan, Jialing Wu, and Kathryn Enriquez, “Failing to Learn from Failure: The Facade of Online Credit Recovery...,” Working Paper (June 2024).
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Prepared with the assistance of AI software
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
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