CSU also faces statewide issue of remedial grads

By Courtney Lingle <CourtneyLingle@coloradoan.com>

Poudre School District, like many of Colorado's high schools, is
graduating students unprepared to take on college-level courses.

A report released last week by the Colorado Commission for High
School Reform showed only 29 percent of Colorado's high school
students arrive at college ready for the work.

In its 2004 Legislative Report on Remedial Education, the Colorado
Commission on Higher Education came out with similar statistics.

According to the report, one-fourth of recent Colorado public high
school graduates who pursued undergraduate studies in this state had
to take remedial coursework when they got to college. Of those
assigned to remedial placement, 86 percent were deficient in math and
a quarter were not up to par in all three areas of math, writing and
reading.

It's a problem that costs taxpayers as much as $21.2 million for
remedial education.

Colorado State University is no exception.

"I think that the biggest challenge area is math," said Gaye
DiGregorio, interim associate director at the Center for Advising and
Student Achievement at CSU. Writing and reading do not seem to be
much of a problem, she said.

While some studies show high school students are taking more math
than ever, DiGregorio said many first-year students at CSU are
struggling with the school's math placement test, which begins with
algebra testing.

"Some of those students haven't had that since junior high," she
said, noting that part of the problem is that some high school
students quit taking math after fulfilling their requirements.

While CSU has tutors and online resources to help students prepare
for the placement exam, some students end up taking remedial courses
to catch up.

"My recommendation would be to take as much math as possible and to
take math in your senior year," DiGregorio said. "The amount of math
a student takes in high school is an indicator of performance in
college."

Minorities and students from urban areas are more likely to be
unprepared for college-level courses than white students and those
from outlying towns and more rural areas, studies show.

The 2004 Legislative Report on Remedial Education showed 10 to 25
percent of Larimer County high school students who pursue higher
education are assigned to remedial courses in college.

Boulder and Douglas counties showed similar statistics, while more
than a quarter of college students coming from Weld, Adams, Denver,
Jefferson and Arapahoe counties were deemed unprepared for
college-level courses in one or more subject areas.

Sherry Gerner, PSD assistant superintendent for secondary schools,
said the district recognizes the problem and is dedicated to making
sure students leave PSD ready to tackle college courses.

"We do want to make sure that our students are prepared and they have
the prerequisit's they need in college," Gerner said.

Schools throughout the district offer elective preparatory classes,
including courses in reading and integrated math, and advanced
placement (AP) courses for students planning to attend college,
though students must choose those courses from a wide array of course
offerings.

Rocky Mountain High School Assistant Principal Marian Kolstoe said
high school counselors work closely with students to identify their
goals and register them for courses that will help them achieve those
goals.

For students planning to attend college, AP and other rigorous
courses are encouraged to make sure they are prepared.

"Every year, at least 35 to 40 percent of our students are taking AP
classes," Kolstoe said, noting that Rocky has 17 different AP courses.

The report on remedial education shows a direct correlation between
high school college prep curriculum and success in college.

Students coming into college without completing a pre-collegiate core
had a significantly higher rate of placement in remedial courses than
those who took college prep classes.

Students who were able to dive right into college level classes were
also more likely to remain in college than those who arrived with
deficiencies. The remedial education report showed the retention rate
for students at four-year institutions who were assigned to a regular
college load was 16 percent higher than for students assigned to at
least one remedial class.

DiGregorio stressed the importance of college preparatory curriculum
in high schools, saying it "most definitely" helps students enter
college prepared.

Gov. Bill Owens is backing legislation that would require parental
notification if their child fails to register for college prep
classes in high school. The parents may then allow the student to opt
out.

Gerner said PSD administrators are taking a look at the graduation
requirements for PSD seniors to see whether the required core classes
are meeting students' needs. They will likely have a recommendation
for the school board this spring.

"We will work with our junior high principals and our high school
principals and counselors as we come up with these graduation
requirements," Gerner said, adding that PSD will look at what other
districts do across Colorado and the nation.

"We'll increase those (grad standards) if we need to," she said,
though that decision would ultimately be up to the school board.
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