A Memory Sometimes Ignored: The History of Developmental Education

Abstract

Often the history of Developmental Education is ignored or minimized by many higher education historians. Various reasons are postulated by the author of this article for this occurrence of memory distortion. Acknowledging the role and importance of developmental education presents potentially uncomfortable statements about the historical state of higher education. Most education historians have focused on the traditional topics and histories of the majority White male class and not those of women, students of color, and those of disadvantaged academic and economic background. The silence by some and the near oversight by many education historians concerning the long-term and widespread use of Developmental Education requires scrutiny.