Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Many college freshmen need remedial work, often delaying graduation, increasing costs - Debra Erdley, Inside Higher Ed

One in four college freshmen nationwide takes at least one noncredit remedial class, a study by the U.S. Department of Education found. The finding, based on 2012 statistics — coupled with a study this spring of the National Assessment of Educational Progress that found nearly four in 10 high school seniors lack reading and math skills for entry-level college work — is prompting some educators to review what they do. Costly remedial courses that tackle math, reading and writing skills can delay college graduation and increase by half the likelihood that students will not complete studies, said former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise, president of the Washington-based Alliance for Excellence in Education. In a nation where student debt eclipses credit card debt, Wise's group found staggering costs nationwide from remedial courses: $3.6 billion in tuition alone in 2007-08. http://triblive.com/news/education/6376740-74/remedial-students-college#axzz37LvdtHuP