Development Educational Program
Developmental education is instruction through which a student who has been admitted to the College may attain the communication and computation skills necessary to be successful in college credit instruction.
The College offers developmental education courses in English, reading, and mathematics. Per Florida Statute 1008.30 Rule 6A-10.0315, and Pensacola State College Procedure 301, the students below are not required to be assessed for college readiness for communication and computation and thus have no testing requirements:
- A student who began 9th grade in a Florida public school in the 2003-2004 school year, or any year thereafter, and earned a standard high school diploma;
- A student who is an active-duty member of any branch of the United States Armed Services;
- A transfer student who earned a C or better in an approved college-level mathematics or English course from a regionally-accredited school; this student is exempt from placement testing for the area(s), computation or communication, in which the C or better was earned.
- A student who achieved the appropriate college-level scores on an approved common placement test within the last two years.
Students required to demonstrate college readiness for communication and computation may do so via a wide range of Common Placement Tests or Alternative Methods—either Tests and Assessments or Performance in High School Coursework—as indicated on the College Readiness and Assessment Standards document posted on the Documents and Links section of the Testing Center web page located at https://www.pensacolastate.edu/current-students/student-services/testing-center/. Contact an advisor for more information.
Test scores are used for placement in reading, writing, and mathematics courses. The scores are not used for admission purposes. A student who is not required to demonstrate college readiness for communication and computation may choose to be assessed and enroll in developmental education instruction.
A transfer student who has completed college-level English courses with grades of C or better and college-level mathematics courses with grades of C or better will not be required to submit placement test scores. However, if the official transcript is not on file and evaluated by the time of the second term of registration, demonstration of college readiness in communication and computation will be required.
Enrollment in any required developmental education courses should begin in the first term of attendance but must begin before the 12th credit hour is attempted. Enrollment in other college-level courses is permitted, provided the student is also enrolled in at least one of the required developmental education courses. Students should remain continuously enrolled in developmental education coursework until successfully completing all required developmental education courses.
A student whose placement test scores indicate the requirement for enrollment in two or more developmental education courses is recommended to enroll in SLS 1101 College Success. Enrollment in SLS 1101 will be recommended even if the course is not a part of the curriculum for the student’s degree plan. Contact an advisor for more information.
Developmental education courses do not satisfy any requirements for graduation. Each developmental education course description indicates the number of college preparatory (c.p.) credits awarded. For assistance in college credit course selection or for additional information about this state requirement, contact an advisor.
In accordance with Florida law, alternatives to traditional developmental education instruction, such as approved documented student achievements or private provider instruction, may be used to satisfy required developmental education coursework. For information on these options, contact Dr. Nelson Stewart in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department at (850) 484-1125 or Dr. Tracy Peyton in the English and Communications Department at (850) 484-1400.