University Business - December 2008 - (Page 55)

Incoming freshmen who need remedial help at Eastern Kentucky U can get started early with a summer program called First Step to College Success. math scores to qualify for the system’s four-year colleges promises to were older, hungrier, and more streetwise, and this was a more dynamic place.” further test BMCC’s motto and mission next year. Besides providing semester-long courses, BMCC offers intensive programs during the summer (450 students participated this Getting High Schools on Board year) and during winter break as a way of eliminating or trimming Other colleges and universities are increasingly considering the back on remedial needs. The summer and winter immersion pro- source—the high schools and even the middle schools—from grams are free, and students taking them can test out of further which their underprepared students are arriving. That concern was remedial work. at the heart of the Strong American Schools study. “We’ve gotten more students who would normally have enrolled in four-year institu- ‘The original idea was to target [high school] seniors who tions nine years ago, but I think the policy works very well,” Perez says. “It allows the needed it, but not every school offers special classes. In four-year colleges to focus on those who have reality, we know it’s a little more scattershot. We can’t completed any remediation.” Not everyone in the CUNY system agrees control what happens in the high schools.’ —Tom Reisz, San Jose State University with that assessment, including William Crain, a psychology professor at the four-year City College of New York in Harlem for the past 36 years and a vo- “We want high school diplomas to have as much meaning as poscal opponent of CUNY’s remedial policy for almost a decade. sible,” explains Bird. “Students, their families, and other taxpayers “When students go to community colleges, statistically they are spending a lot of money for courses that students should have have an 18 to 20 percent less chance of getting a BA than if they mastered in high school.” started at four-year colleges,” even if they finish high school with Colleges with developmental and remedial programs report similar grades and test scores, Crain argues. “There’s no doubt that marginal improvements in placement test results, due possibly to the policy started in 1999 disproportionately turned away students the effect on high schools of rising state standards in response to the of color from the four-year colleges. And in the past few years, federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. it’s become really clear that the numbers of black students have “We’ve seen a slight decrease in our remedial numbers as the dropped in our top five four-year colleges.” New York City school system has made improvements,” says Crain also recalls that before CUNY’s policy went into effect, BMCC’s Perez. At Eastern Kentucky, Cain has seen a 10-point students at his college would move through their remedial courses drop in the percentage of students in her program, aided in part and largely graduate at the same rate as others. Compared to to- by K-16 councils that have brought school and college educators day’s “younger, more test-savvy, and whiter student population,” together to share achievement goals. he adds, “it was more interesting when you had a wider variety of Bird suggests that state departments of education could be dostudents coming in. We had more diamonds in the rough, who ing more. “When states look to raise standards, they are not always universitybusiness.com December 2008 | 55 http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - December 2008

University Business - December 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Behind the News
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Human Resources
2009 Annual Directory to Financial Services
Future Shock
Independent Outlook
Endowment Management
Look Before You Leap
50 Best Branding Ideas
Remedial Nation
What's New
Facilities Focus
End Note

University Business - December 2008