College Remediation Rate Confusion Persists

Last weeks Education Week has a front page story on community college remediation rates that has the US Education Departments Estimate of 40 % remediation on the front page , and Tom Bailey”s estimate of over 60 % on the inside page. Bailey from Colombia Teachers College is right. The US Department uses student responses for the numbers of students who take a remedial course in the past year. Two problems with this are: many more students need remediation according to college placement tests than take a course in a particular year , or the students never take a remedial course. They start in regular credit courses and then drop out.  Moreover, students under state  how many remedial courses they take.

California community colleges report remediation need on their placement tests is closer to 80% than 60%. The US Ed Department 40 % is misleading. All of my numbers in this blog are for students who come from high school to community college, not adults.