From the Orlando Sentinel, by Erica Rodriguez
Thousands of high-school students across Florida are having to take a new state-mandated test to gauge how ready they are for college classes regardless of whether they plan to pursue higher education.
Because of a new state law, school districts are required for the first time to give nearly all high-school juniors a college-readiness test and schedule college-remediation classes for those who don't do well.
The Department of Education says in 2010 it cost the state about $156 million to remediate nearly 150,000 students who weren't able to complete college-level work. The department also says that in 2010, about 54 percent of high-schoolers were not prepared in at least one college subject.
Florida lawmakers for years have lamented the high costs of college remediation, which is up from $129 million in 2006.
In the past, the college-readiness test was given by community colleges to high-school students who were interested in college. But this year the new law makes districts responsible for giving the test, known as the PERT or Postsecondary Education Readiness Test, and requires low-performing students to take remedial classes before they graduate.
"This is an opportunity for students to gain college readiness, either from scores earned as 11th-grade students or through college-preparatory courses in 12th grade," wrote Mary Jane Tappen, deputy K-12 chancellor, in an email. Tappen wrote that those students deemed college-ready will have better opportunities for college or careers when they graduate.
But across the state, the latest test results show that just 24 percent of students were deemed college-ready in math and 42 percent in reading. In Lake County, for instance, the poor results mean that hundreds likely will have to take college-remediation classes before graduation. The school district's latest figures show that nearly 1,334 students aren't ready for college math classes and will need remedial classes in the fall.
Although the numbers could change because students can use higher ACT or SAT scores to replace low PERT scores, principals worry about how to plan extra classes for students who need help and think elective classes might suffer.
"You only have so many [teachers]," said Evans High School Principal David Christiansen in Orlando. "So maybe you have to make that call — that, OK I've got to eliminate technology or eliminate a fine-arts teacher to take care of this remediation."
Adding to that concern is the need for extra remedial classes prompted by the higher-than-usual number of students who did not score well on this year's Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
Computer glitches were also common with the electronic test, and school leaders say they simply did not have enough computers to accommodate the hundreds of students who required testing in all three of the PERT exam's subjects. A lack of time for students to prepare also made things tough.
"There was next to no knowledge on how to prepare students even for the format of the test," said Barry Farley, testing manager for Lake County Schools.
Despite the challenges, educators say the test will help schools pinpoint areas where students need help before they leave high school. Otherwise, they'll be faced with paying for remedial classes at a community college that won't earn them any college credit.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-05-27/features/os-college-ready-florida-20120527_1_remedial-classes-college-readiness-college-math-classes
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