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Report: Over a third of students entering college need remedial help
suntimes.com ^ | 05/30/2011 | KARA SPAK

Posted on 05/30/2011 4:33:01 AM PDT by massmike

By a number of indicators, hundreds of thousands of high school students are graduating unprepared for the rigors of college. Nationally, in 2010, only 24 percent of ACT-tested high school graduates were deemed college ready in all four subjects tested — English, math, reading and science. In Illinois, only 23 percent met those benchmarks.

In 2008, an estimated 44 percent of students under 25 at a public two-year college and 27 percent of all students under 25 at public four-year schools were taking at least one remedial course, according to U.S. Department of Education statistics.

A survey by an education non-profit group showed that four out of five students taking remedial classes graduated from high school with a GPA above 3.0.

(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...


TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: publicschools
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1 posted on 05/30/2011 4:33:08 AM PDT by massmike
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To: massmike

To be fair, if these kids are entering colleges with a 3.0 GPA or higher... it’s not the kid’s fault. Once again, it is the school’s fault.


2 posted on 05/30/2011 4:42:52 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: momtothree
Once again, it is the school’s fault.

Thank your gov't schools for this great achievement despite increasing spending per student massively!

3 posted on 05/30/2011 4:46:24 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)
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To: momtothree

My son entered college with 35 credits from high school. I guess that’s the school’s success. Not all public schools are bad and low grades aren’t always because of the ‘school’. jmo


4 posted on 05/30/2011 5:01:04 AM PDT by Netizen
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To: massmike

Our state will no longer let you use scholarship money for remedial classes plus you will get less money if you don’t take advanced math before you graduate from high school.


5 posted on 05/30/2011 5:01:19 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Netizen

To be fair, your son entered college with 35 college credits because he took A.P. courses/and or courses at a community college. He worked hard for those credits and you paid for the testing. My point is if a student achieves a 3.0 GPA or higher, he or she has done relatively well in high school. The least they can expect is to be able to push forward with their education. Granted, not all low grades can be fingered at the schools. For example, I took my basic math college course at a community college rather than my state university. The credits transferred and I got a professor rather than a non English speaking Teacher Assistant.


6 posted on 05/30/2011 5:06:58 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

From what I have seen, over a third of college graduates need remedial help.


7 posted on 05/30/2011 5:11:33 AM PDT by sport
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To: All

the 3.0 gpa could come from schools that just give out gpa like candies.

also, college life is different from high school life. how far the kids are from their family could and would contribute to their change in life style if they’re not disciplined.


8 posted on 05/30/2011 5:13:28 AM PDT by VAFreedom (maybe i should take a nap before work)
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To: Erik Latranyi
This is such an insidious and endemic problem in our society, and it has to be addressed or we risk losing who we are as a nation, not to mention failing generations of children.

Consider the shocking percentages that need remedial classes, despite earning 3.0 or better GPAs in high school, and then consider the high percentage of teenagers who drop out of high school in our major cities. This is a crisis, and it isn't because the schools don't have enough money, and it's definitely not because these children can't learn.

9 posted on 05/30/2011 5:18:24 AM PDT by pieceofthepuzzle
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To: momtothree

Our son didn’t go to CC. I’m not sure if his high school would have let him take AP classes if he hadn’t done well in the regular classes. If your income is low enough you don’t have to pay anything.

My point is that low scores are not always the fault of the school and only the school. Our son scored in the top 1% of the nation on his ACT. Did he study. Sure. Did he work hard, I guess so. Kids should study and work for it. We have relatives whose kids attended the same same school. Did they do as well? Nope. Was it the fault of the school? NOPE! A child playing video games, and what have you all day, is NOT going to do well. They must put some effort into it and parents need to know what their children are doing. The one boy I’m speaking of, didn’t put forth the effort. Didn’t graduate. Didn’t care and the mother thinks its the school’s fault. Same thing with her other boy. He got kicked out of middle school, then kicked out of alternative school. But, of course its the school’s fault. Some parents just want to place the blame elsewhere.


10 posted on 05/30/2011 5:20:33 AM PDT by Netizen
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To: sport
...why Johnny can't read, write or do ‘rithmatic, he's too busy studying the impact of African-American Underwater Basket Weaving in the 17th Century studies or Feminist Recreational Weightlifting in early Elizabethan England...
11 posted on 05/30/2011 5:28:19 AM PDT by Netz
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To: Netizen

I agree. Many parents simply trust the school’s to do what is best and aren’t interested in their children at all. Your relative sounds like a dough-head (no insult to you). She simply did not parent her kids, did she? In our county, there is a controversy arising that many honor classes are being dismissed for A.P. classes and the standards for taking the A.P. classes are being lowered to include more minorities/low income etc... They have to make it fair, right? /s


12 posted on 05/30/2011 5:29:53 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: momtothree

“Once again, it is the school’s fault.”

The parents factor in somewhere.....


13 posted on 05/30/2011 5:32:25 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

“Our state will no longer let you use scholarship money for remedial classes”

This is a sensible policy, however, not awarding “scholar”ships to those requiring remedial classes would also be sensible.


14 posted on 05/30/2011 5:34:59 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: momtothree

I can understand making it available to low income and minorities, IF the grades are there. High unemployment is making it easier to fall into the low income range and get the testing free.

We have to stop generational welfare. Kids growing up in that environment don’t see any incentive to do better. What’s better than being paid to do nothing? jmo


15 posted on 05/30/2011 5:37:01 AM PDT by Netizen
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To: RFEngineer

“The parents factor in somewhere...”

I agree. However, I believe a parent may be completely in the dark if their kid’s are bring home good grades. If a child’s report card has A’s and B’s in it, the parent assumes they are doing a good job.


16 posted on 05/30/2011 5:37:03 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: Netizen

I am not sure if I agree that I should pay for it. You have all year to save up the cost of the test. In fact, you have several years to save up for it. In no way, shape or form should the standards fall for taking an AP class though. That is what is being debated in my county right now.


17 posted on 05/30/2011 5:41:44 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: massmike
unprepared for the rigors of college

Is he kidding? What rigors?

Look, less than 25% of the white population are qualified, are capable, of baccalaureate work.

If only 1/3 of entrants need remedial help, the freshman standard must already be so low as to be a farce.

The scam that college has become is one of the factors that is destroying our country.

18 posted on 05/30/2011 5:42:33 AM PDT by Jim Noble (The Constitution is overthrown. The Revolution is betrayed.)
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To: momtothree

A lot of it still goes back to the parents. The one above that I spoke of, the younger boy.. the mother: ‘he’s dyslexic and has a hard time reading’. Uh huh, unless its computer games, video games, guns, hunting, fishing or making lures.. then he’s a whiz. Funny how his dyslexia and poor comprehension comes and goes. /s


19 posted on 05/30/2011 5:43:57 AM PDT by Netizen
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To: Oshkalaboomboom; All
Our state will no longer let you use scholarship money for remedial classes

If they need remedial classes, they are not college material (a scholar) and should never have been given a scholarship.

All parents should think twice before sending their precious seventeen/eighteen year old know-it-all geniuses off to some thieving socialist indoctrination center, where you can count on them being lectured by such towering intellects as Bill Ayers and Ward Churchill.

This society is up to it's eyeballs in unemployed looney-liberal college idiots, with worthless liberal arts majors and PHDs. But we're importing doctors, engineers and scientists.

America is also crying out for some decent tradesmen...who have a much better chance of finding a decent and honest income.

20 posted on 05/30/2011 5:44:52 AM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans freed the Slaves Month")
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