Half of Illinois grads entering community college need help

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - New data shows about half of Illinois high school graduates going on to the state's community colleges need remediation in at least one subject.

That data was released this past week by the Illinois State Board of Education. It shows 48.7 percent of graduates who enrolled in the community college system needed remedial instruction to prepare them for entry-level college coursework.

The highest remediation rate was in math, with about 41 percent needing additional preparation in the subject.

For the first time, that information is being reported with Illinois Report Card data.

State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith says that information, along with the test known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, will help educators address the college readiness of their students.