Editorial: The problem with college remedial courses
The data is in: Forty-nine percent of Illinois high school graduates enrolled in state community colleges need to take remedial classes to make up for what was lacking in their K-12 education.
You might be thinking an extra class or two is but a bump in the road of life; a small inconvenience tucked in among students' many years of schooling.
It's true there's nothing inherently wrong with an extra semester of solid skill building, but the remedial classes come at a cost.
First of all, students have to pay for them but get no college credit. On a broader level, remedial classes at the college level were estimated in 2012 to cost about $7 billion a year nationally.
Even worse than the dollar cost, other studies show students who are enrolled in remedial courses are far less likely to complete any kind of degree in a timely manner. Fewer than 1 in 10 graduate from community college in three years, and about one-third finish a bachelor's degree within six years.
"Our state and our families literally cannot afford to invest additional time and money for students to acquire the skills and knowledge they should have received during their preK-12 journey," Illinois Superintendent of Education Tony Smith said.
So what do we do?
Illinois took a good first step this year in reporting the percentage of graduates who attended community college and were enrolled in remedial courses. The reporting process traces the students needing the remedial courses back to their high schools, a level of accountability that is the first step toward determining why some students don't leave 12th grade prepared for the rigors of a college education.
Figuring out the reason for that is the next step. Are the K-12 courses too lax? Are the tests used by community colleges to decide who needs remediation in sync with high school curricula? Is there enough support for students living in poverty and for English-language learners?
Math was the biggest problem for Illinois students, with 41.1 percent requiring remediation in that subject. Are too many students taking three years of math (the amount the state requires) instead of four in high school?
It's important to find those answers.
Students and their families also can do plenty to greatly increase the chances of a smooth entry into college without remedial coursework needed.
For starters, Wheeling High School math teacher Derek Swierczek told USNews.com, students should build a strong foundation by really trying to understand how math works. For many students, that means seeking out extra help their school might offer. The incentive? Eliminating the need to retake high school math in college.
Other advice: Take four years of math. Aim to take AP or other college-level courses during high school.
Study for the college placement exam. Free online resources like the Khan Academy, MyMathLab and MyMathTest can help students brush up, USNews advised. Take the placement test as early as you can, and see if colleges allow retaking it if needed.
Getting the data provides a sobering starting point for Illinois, but the real test is how quickly schools and state overseers can increase the proportion of students who leave high school ready for college.