Posted on 03/13/2007 8:13:16 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
More than 20,000 high school graduates annually enter the California State University system needing remedial work in English or math, according to the Annual Report on College Readiness presented today to the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach.
The number of unprepared students entering CSU remained constant this academic year, not budging from previous levels.
In fall 2006, 37 percent of entering freshmen were not proficient in mathematics, reflecting a decline of 1 percent from 2005. The report found that 45 percent were not proficient in English, the same level as the previous year.
CSU officials say there is no realistic likelihood of achieving the CSU Board of Trustees goal of 90 percent readiness in both subjects by fall 2007. Rather, they are still aiming for the 2004 goal of preparedness of 74 percent in math and 78 percent in English.
To better prepare high school students for college, the university system is collaborating with the state's high schools to ensure that college freshmen can move through the university faster, with a higher percentage earning college degrees.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
The remedial courses they take, whether at a CC or a State U still cost regular credit hour fees. I'm not sure if they count as regular credit hours toward their degree, but they definitely aren't part of the Gen Ed requirements (the classes may count as electives.) Even CCs give entrance exams and if the kid isn't up to College Algebra, or Comp I, or if their reading comprehension is not up to standard, it's remedial classes for them.
I posted a similar story about two weeks ago that referred to basically the same situation here in Texas.
SEE MY SIG..
The funny thing is, many times our weaknesses become our strengths.
The two biggest things for me with my daughters was to understand that they weren't going to hit landmarks at the same pace as other kids, and that we couldn't ever let them give up and feel sorry for themselves. We threw out the time table and said, "are they doing better today than they were last year?" Saved us a lot of insanity, and I think, saved the girls from ulcers, without letting them fall into the "poor, poor pitiful me" trap. Looking at my post, it sounds way too easy. Lots of tears and prayers greased the wheels and I screwed up more than any parent has a right to. My wife home schooled the youngest one to keep her from getting pigeonholed in a special learning class. Our daughters both worked hard, hard, hard, and have made raising them a joy. Stay in touch, and let me know how your daughter is doing.
But I bet each and every one of those students has a firm grasp on global warming (G2K) and homosexuality.
Why would you want them to memorize a full-page chart?
I thought kids were to be held back until they had proved they were competent at each level.
Math curricula, especially, tend to be really quite horrible. As for English skills ... I think there's probably not enough emphasis on reading good books, and writing well.
On their state certification test, there are questions from the charts. They have to know the IDLH levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, phosgene, hydrogen cyanide and other gases. They have to memorize the color coding of sprinkler heads and glass bulb ratings by temperature range. They have to memorize thirty-five or forty map symbols, effects of carbon monoxide and low O2 on the human system at different levels, fire extinguisher sizes and weights, stream reach, discharge times, weights and types of fire applicable for the extinguisher. In hazardous materials they have to know the nine DOT hazard classifications and sub-classes, and of course, the placarding, common agents in each category, their effects on humans and the environment, protective clothing requirements, and so on. With this type of information, it's easier for both the students and myself to give them the charts and say "know this." Of course, first you have to teach them how to memorize a chart.
I'm already looking into American Sign Language. There's a private Christian high school that we like, and it teaches American Sign language. I think she'll enjoy learning it.
We just put both of my daughter in a private Christian school because we were having so many problems with the public school. The public school said my daughter was doing okay even though she was reading below grade level. They didn't want to alter their approach.
In the private school, she gets a multi-sensory language arts program. It looks like it's working.
My special needs daughter is actually the hardest worker of my 3 kids. She never feels sorry for herself. We've always pointed out the things that she does well, and we point out that other people need things also (glasses, blind, deaf, wheelchairs, etc). She sees other more needy people, and she is thankful that she only has speech problems.
I agree about the time table. I've actually heard that a lot of special needs kids do better in college than in high school because of the flexibility that college allows. You pick how many and which classes to take, their times, etc.
Congratulations on your kids. It's an interesting journey with kids, but even more so with special needs kids.
A huge amount of money is being wasted on colleges. Best the States put their efforts (not necessarily money) into 7-12 since that is where the Gov't school system collapses.
I guess the school walkouts last year didn't help them any!
The "norm" is having kids in HS without wedlock to get more money from the state.
If you go to a convenience store today, usually they round your purchase to the nearest dollar now....because they cant make change in their brains.
actually having a natualized US citizen as a co worker who grew up in the Mexico school system and is now watching her child 'struggle' (his teachers words) through math, kid is in 6th grade, not knowing his times tables..she told the teacher that while mexico may be a poor country the kid would never have made it out of 3rd grade with his current math skills. She said the teacher kinda looked shocked when she told him that.
Perhaps we need to go back to actually expecting results rather then worrying about if a f is going to hurt the kids self esteem.
Just for your consideration:
I graduated high school, in CA, with one year of Algebra, then got an two year degree at a JC. I then switched majors to Engineering and found I was way underqualified for Freshman Calculus. I then took three semesters of Math (Advanced Algebra, Trig/Geo, and Pre Calculus). I then had four semesters of Calculus and differential equations), at the University level. Not all people who go back for lower level Math courses are 'boneheads'.
In my case, in HS, I simply went through the system w/o motivation or guidance to take courses that were not required, at least as far as Math was concerned.
I did. That was why I responded to you.
I didn't say the people taking the classes were "boneheads."
Snow me where I said that you did.
Did I?
No need to get snippy. My response to you was polite and non accusatory. I made a simple statement: "Not all people who go back for lower level Math courses are 'boneheads'."
The decision to use that term, was yours, not mine. If you take offense that I accused you of using a term incorrectly, then perhaps you should not have used the term in the first place.
Most of the school systems have turned into a planned parenthood,immigration depot and mental health centers instead of a school teaching reading and writing.
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