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CSU trustees advance college readiness
Despite calls to maintain the status quo, the trustees of the California State University system approved this week the "Early Start" program to address remediation rates that often top 60% at various campuses, and hover near 47% in English and 37% in math system-wide.
Starting in 2012, prospective freshmen who fail the CSU proficiency placement exams must take CSU-sponsored courses to address the deficiency before arriving at college. CSU anticipates this program will reduce the amount of remediation the campuses must offer and help their new students arrive ready for college-level work.
This is a wholesome and gentle way to address a grave problem; it's also an initiative that required considerable courage by the trustees, given internal opposition to change. ACTA encourages the Board to stay the course.
College readiness, like the Holy Grail, seems so very hard to achieve. While America's higher education entry rate, according to the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development is strong and growing, the nation is at the bottom for college completion. Making a baccalaureate institution attractive to students who are not ready for its challenges often means financial disaster when they drop out, and it weakens the school's academic standards as well. The fact that our college graduates, on average, cannot rise above the intermediate level of literacy is terrifying proof of the decline in academic achievement from matriculation through graduation. Boards of trustees have an urgent responsibility to take an active role in addressing the problem, and it's heartening to see CSU trustees do so.
Another excellent example of trustees engaged in remediation reform comes from the City University of New York, once called "Remediation U." Thanks to action by the Board and administration, CUNY has in recent years shifted remediation from its senior colleges to its community colleges, helping the system focus its resources appropriately. Warm congratulations to CSU and CUNY trustees for their initiative to raise the level of academic preparation of new students.
Posted by Michael Poliakoff on March 22, 2010 at March 22, 2010 11:58 AM
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