Number of remedial students concerns university officials

CARSON CITY -- The good news in education this week is that 5,395 graduating Nevada seniors this year posted the highest scores on a college entrance examination this decade.

The bad news is an estimated 1,000 of them will probably be required to take remedial English or math courses when they enter the University and Community College System of Nevada this semester.

A survey by the system revealed that 1,187 incoming freshmen last year who had graduated from Nevada high schools in the past 12 months had to take remedial courses in math, English or both. The report said $414,367 in state money was spent on courses in addition to the fees collected from the students.

"This seems high regardless of what the other states are doing," said Jane Nichols, vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, in referring to the number of students that must take remedial courses.

The 1997 study of freshmen required to take developmental courses could not calculate the percentage to the total number of Nevada graduates who entered the state's higher education institutions. Increased computer capabilities will allow the system to compile a comprehensive report for the 1999 Legislature.

Figures from the National Center for Education Statistics for 1995 show that 22 percent of the freshmen entering a four-year college need remedial courses in reading, writing or mathematics. For those entering a two-year community college, the national figure was 41 percent.

Nichols said the higher standards being imposed on public schools will help in the future. She doesn't know now whether the students placed in remedial courses took high school courses "essential to being ready for college.

"We suspect they may not have taken three years of science and three years of math," Nichols said.

It appears many of those who need a basic math course didn't take a second year of algebra in high school. The most common failing in English is composition and writing skills, she said.

That's backed up by the scores on the American College Testing Program tests this year. Those who took only two years of math and two years of science in high school scored lower than those who passed three years each of math, science and social studies.

Nevada students are required to have four years of English, two years each of math, science and social studies in order to graduate.

Continuing debate surrounds the practice of offering remedial or high school courses to those who have graduated. Some feel the students should complete the basic courses before being allowed to enter a university or community college. Others suggest this gives the student an opportunity to continue to advance.

The Nevada Policy Research Institute, a conservative study center in Reno, suggests the public schools be required to pay to the university system the extra cost of the remedial courses required.

University Chancellor Richard Jarvis doesn't agree with this approach. He says it might discourage students from furthering their education.

Only 37 percent of high school graduates go on to college in Nevada, the lowest rate in the nation. The seniors this year scored 21.4 on the ACT, the highest level in the 1990s.

At UNLV those who score below 20 on the ACT must enroll in remedial English or math. At the University of Nevada, Reno, the cutoff score is 21. The performance of the student can be measured also on other national tests, such as the SAT.

The 1997 study of students entering UNLV showed 291 needed remedial courses -- 206 in English, 28 in math and 57 in both English and math. There were 364 students at the Community College of Southern Nevada of which 243 needed math only; 52 in English and 69 in both subjects.

A student who scores low on college entrance tests may still "challenge" the decision to place him in remedial classes. If they are able to pass another test, they will be returned to the normal curriculum.

Nichols said the study, completed in January, looked to see if a particular school district or some schools had a high number of graduates that ended up in remedial courses. "There were no surprises," said Nichols adding no district or schools had an inordinately high number of graduates who required remedial courses.

Of the 1,187 students who required remedial help, 682 came from the Clark County School District. The highest number, 71, came from Durango High; 65 from Green Valley; 57 from Las Vegas High and 54 from Rancho. The lowest number came from the Area Technical Trade Center, Community College West and Horizon South Schools, each with one.

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