Foundational and gateway courses are critical prerequisites in educational systems. Unfortunately, they can be challenging for students, causing high failure rates, which correlate with reduced course persistence and program completion for all students. To address this problem of practice we applied a dissertation in practice model wherein professional development for evidence-based pedagogical practices was implemented. After the professional development, participating faculty refined how they delivered the courses using one or more of the following practices: transparent teaching, metacognition, and design of classroom atmosphere. In Biology and Psychology classes, we saw statistically significant improvement. Further research is required to correlate how specific classroom practices and pedagogies used in this study correspond with academic achievement and persistence.