Well, someone who has to take the equivalent of geometry or algebra I in college?
They aren't "College-Ready."
Donning my taxpayer hat for a moment, here--
WTH?? Why are my tax dollars being funneled into remedial coursework?? I'd like to see the data on how many of those kids who NEED remedial college courses are even graduating at all. Because if they don't, that's inherently a poor use of those funds, and I'd like it to stop.
Send those people to a local JC or CC until they ARE "college ready" instead.
Point well taken. There is one case I am familiar with... a parent had died while a child was in high school... kid had AP credits, good standardized test scores, also earned CLEP credits... and took a prep-level English as a freshman to get the grade which could not be earned in HS due to other things being dealt with.
In this case, IMHO, the student was more than college-ready. Having faced adversity and triumphed was perhaps more important to the person's overall ability to stay in college and graduate (advanced degrees as well), than having performed well on every course in high school.
When looking at cut-scores and statistics, we must remember there are human stories behind each of them, and be willing to walk a mile in our brother's moccasins. There is so much more to a person than academic measures... consider grit, determination, potential... not just their past achievement which is largely defined by the opportunities which had been available.
Regarding remedial math... in colleges, there are majors in subjects like art, theatre performance, etc... these kids may be stellar in their craft... gifted, even... but may not be mathematically inclined. Why define them by their weakness, rather than their strength (why deny them college entrance)?
Keeping in mind that there are many definitions of success and many paths to those successes may create a kinder, gentler world (with perhaps less drug abuse to deal with a sense of potential failure relative to the competition, as being discussed in another thread).
