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Graduates unprepared for college academics
THE GAZETTE ^ | May 21, 2007 | BRIAN NEWSOME

Posted on 05/23/2007 2:59:55 PM PDT by george76

Remedial classes await.

Thousands of Colorado high schoolers are graduating this month with plans to go to college in the fall.

Hundreds of them will be academically unprepared when they get there.

Those students will take — and pay for — remedial classes that don’t count toward a degree.

Educators say the need for remedial work is fueled largely by a lack of communication between high schools and colleges about what’s important to know. They also say high school students need to pay closer attention to class selection and grades, especially in the senior year when many coast toward graduation day. And, some say, high school should be more rigorous.

About 30 percent of recent high school graduates who went to Colorado’s public colleges last year were assigned to remedial courses in at least one subject, the report said. The number rose to about 56 percent at two-year colleges.

Nearly 61 percent of students were assigned to remedial classes at Pikes Peak Community College.

Even in the Pikes Peak region’s top-performing high schools, as many as 20 to 30 percent of graduates needed remedial help in college.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: classes; college; highschool; highschoolers; illiteracy; letarekidswalk; publicschools; publikskoolz; remedial; remedialclasses; school; schools
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To: carton253

What’s this about my mother?


201 posted on 05/28/2007 6:29:58 AM PDT by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid.)
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To: wintertime
Oh, calm down... no one is insulting your mother.

I was just saying that she probably raised you not to force your views on another, especially after that person asked you to stop. That's all.

202 posted on 05/28/2007 6:40:08 AM PDT by carton253 (I've cried tears and stayed the same.)
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To: Amelia

“TIMSS and PIRLS testing shows that are [our?] public school kids compare rather poorly to students from a great number of other nations.

Perhaps you’re aware that the sampling methodology and analytical procedures of those studies have been called into question?”

There is always someone or some entity willing to cast aspersions on any study...or, in this case, testing...that demonstrates the failure of government schools.


203 posted on 05/28/2007 11:24:24 AM PDT by RavenATB
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To: Amelia
“Standardized testing shows that homeschooling children is more academically successful than is public schooling.
I suppose you have some actual studies to prove that?

I know that some homeschooled students do exceptionally well, but so do some students from private and public schools.”

Yes, the Home School Legal Defense Association’s web site has a lot of it. But, I’m sure that in the case of each study, someone from the government school bureaucracy will question the “sampling methodology and analytical procedures,” as they do with everything that shows a negative portrayal of public education.

sampling methodology and analytical procedures of those studies have been called into question?

204 posted on 05/28/2007 11:40:54 AM PDT by RavenATB
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To: xsmommy

Consider me gobsmacked. I wasn’t aware of that at all.


205 posted on 05/28/2007 11:47:47 AM PDT by Amelia
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To: RavenATB
There is always someone or some entity willing to cast aspersions on any study...or, in this case, testing...that demonstrates the failure of government schools.

There is generally someone or some entity willing to cast aspersions on any study, on any highly charged issue, if they don't agree with the results. That doesn't mean they aren't correct.

Methodology and analytical procedures are important, whether or not you agree with the findings. There are a lot of poorly done studies out there.

206 posted on 05/28/2007 12:00:22 PM PDT by Amelia
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To: RavenATB
Yes, the Home School Legal Defense Association’s web site has a lot of it. But, I’m sure that in the case of each study, someone from the government school bureaucracy will question the “sampling methodology and analytical procedures,” as they do with everything that shows a negative portrayal of public education.

It does appear that they have some data to show that homeschooling can be very effective. I'm not sure that one could generalize that to say that homeschooling is always more effective, and I'm sure it would not be true to say that all children would do better if they were homeschooled.

Most of the homeschooled children I've met have been the epitome of homeschool success stories - bright, polite, well-read, and a joy to be around. I have known a few who claimed to be homeschooled, but in fact were not educated at all; it was just a ploy to keep the parents from being prosecuted for the child's truancy.

It also seems to me that if children don't know their numbers, colors, basic shapes, and most of the alphabet by the time they reach school age, their parents would not be good homeschool parents. (There are parents like that, by the way, and their children are the ones who bring the public school averages down.)

207 posted on 05/28/2007 12:20:09 PM PDT by Amelia
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To: steveyp

“Many should not go to college or university.”

Like who?

I have a friend who is mildly retarded.

He made it through two years at the local community college.

Post-High School eductional institutions have lowered their standards so far that I can’t think of ANYONE who wouldn’t be college material.


208 posted on 05/28/2007 12:26:41 PM PDT by BikerJoe
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To: Amelia

i didn’t know anything about it til the college counselors at my daughter’s HS talked to parents about it. this area is a hot bed [noVA] of private schools, excellent public schools and a ton of high-achievers, the averages here are much higher than other parts of the country. you take the good with the bad with that, though : )


209 posted on 05/28/2007 12:27:45 PM PDT by xsmommy
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To: BikerJoe

Doesn’t mean they should attend college/university. “Students” unfit for a college level education either result in the uni dropping standards or are weeded out after much expense and time.

College/University is not an avenue that all students should pursue.


210 posted on 05/28/2007 4:07:15 PM PDT by steveyp (Homeschool Teacher - Science and Math)
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To: MarkT

It’s astounding to listen extreme lefties bashing freshmen who come in with little to no knowledge about anything. These lefties blame everything and everyone except their fellow travelers in pubic education: the unionists teachers who pass illitarates along.


211 posted on 05/28/2007 4:11:21 PM PDT by eleni121 (+ En Touto Nika! By this sign conquer! + Constantine the Great)
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To: george76

I now have 2 in college and 2 in private school and one itty bitty.

I am not real keen on College right now....nearly all are institutionally left.

It sucks....no matter how hard you try ....some of that fecal spray from the left will stick

just look how many educated subordinate meterosexuals there are now

the majority of professional class husbands here in Nashville under 40 are wimped out by their wives....going to a T-ball game is such an eye opener for this 50 year old daddy


212 posted on 05/28/2007 4:16:30 PM PDT by wardaddy (on parole)
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To: steveyp

“Students” unfit for a college level education either result in the uni dropping standards or are weeded out after much expense and time.”

In a perfect world, I’d agree. However, for professionals these days, applicants need to be able to show graduation from “16th Grade”, which is what many curricula amount to.


213 posted on 05/28/2007 4:17:49 PM PDT by BikerJoe
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To: BikerJoe

George Mason University has a program now for Mildly Mentally Retarded students so that they can earn a college degree. The only way I know about this is because the son of a church member will be going there this fall. Her son has downs and wants to go to college like the rest of his friends, this is a new program, so he is trying it this fall. I’m not sure what kind of degree they earn, but it is a college degree


214 posted on 05/28/2007 5:21:59 PM PDT by KristieK
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To: eleni121
These lefties blame everything and everyone except their fellow travelers in pubic education: the unionists teachers who pass illitarates along.

Don't you wish sometimes that this site would let you edit your own posts?

215 posted on 05/28/2007 7:06:16 PM PDT by Amelia
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To: Amelia

Cute. A simple spellcheck should be mandatory.


216 posted on 05/28/2007 7:20:54 PM PDT by eleni121 (+ En Touto Nika! By this sign conquer! + Constantine the Great)
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To: Political Junkie Too

“LET ARE KIDS WALK”

LOL!


217 posted on 05/29/2007 1:33:15 AM PDT by RKBA Democrat (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!)
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To: Amelia

“Catholic schools are subsidized by the church.”

Which beats taxpayer subsidies by a country mile.

“Usually don’t offer transportion and other services that public schools must offer...”

Some Catholic schools in Virginia do offer transportation. Depends on the school. As for government schools. I remember walking the 3 miles to high school (and no, it wasn’t uphill both ways in the snow). Apparently they didn’t view transportation as a service they had to offer.

“Even so, the Catholic boys’ school in Savannah charges tuition of over $8,000 per year, and books, uniforms, and lab fees are another $400-$600 per year.”

Tuition at Catholic schools is very locale dependent. Some Diocese spend relatively little on them, others subsidize them heavily. Also, note that the term “Catholic” is not trademarked. Anyone can open a “Catholic” school. I don’t know about this particular school; is it actually run by the local Diocese?

Finally, tuition at Catholic schools is also somewhat dependent on the overall competitive environment, both with other private schools and to a certain extent with the government schools. In Savannah, IIRC, all the government schools are run by one geographically large Chatham county school district. There isn’t the same opportunity to move to a “better” school district 15 minutes away as there would be in other states.


218 posted on 05/29/2007 1:54:03 AM PDT by RKBA Democrat (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!)
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To: Riverman94610

Two security guards are sitting across the street having a smoke.No administrators are out there cajoling the kids back to class.

Don’t blame them. They probably don’t want to be sued or killed.


219 posted on 05/29/2007 1:58:03 AM PDT by napscoordinator (.)
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To: metmom

ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL

Have you seen the show Wife Swap? They homeschool and don’t give a good reason to homeschool. In fact, they do a very good example of not homeschooling. The families look like idiots. Sleeping until noon. Making things, feeding chickens. That sums up the education. It is pretty sad. Truthfully if you want a good education for your children, than Catholic School is the way to go.


220 posted on 05/29/2007 2:05:01 AM PDT by napscoordinator (.)
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