The Preparedness of Recent High School Graduates Entering Ohio's StateSupported Colleges and Universities
Questions: How many first-year students, who are recent high school graduates, are enrolling for
remedial/developmental coursework in state-supported colleges and universities throughout Ohio? Remedial/developmental coursework is coursework that must be completed before a college student can enroll in college level courses. This coursework is called remedial if it involves re-teaching subjects to students and developmental if it involves teaching pre-college coursework to students who did not take such coursework while in high school. Are remediation/developmental needs greater in mathematics than in English? How does this vary by school district?
Why ask about the frequency of remedial education for recent high school graduates in state-supported colleges and universities? Recent high school graduates, first-year
students who enter Ohio’s state-supported colleges and universities, vary greatly in their level of preparation to begin college coursework. As noted earlier, 63% of the high school graduates of the year 2000 who took the college entrance test, the ACT Assessment, reported having completed the academic core curriculum while in high school. An academic core curriculum is defined, minimally, as 4-years of English, and 3 years each of mathematics, science, and social studies. This means that 36% of these students who intended to go on to college were unprepared for college-level study and thus might require remedial/developmental coursework before they can enroll for college level coursework. While preparing students for college study is largely the responsibility of the K-12 sector, prospective students and their families should be prepared for the possibility that remedial coursework may be required in college before students can begin college level coursework.
Note: While some colleges and universities in Ohio are selective in their admissions criteria, others are required to admit any
student who has a valid high school diploma. Remedial/developmental coursework is required for many recent high school graduates at a college or university before the students can register for college level coursework. There are statewide standards to distinguish between remedial and college-level work, but how these standards are interpreted may vary at the campus level. This renders comparisons on the subject difficult. Campuses vary in the degree to which they “require” or “suggest” that under-prepared students take remedial coursework, but with the exception of two campuses (Miami University Main Campus and Central State University), all state-supported colleges and universities in Ohio offer remedial coursework to entering freshmen. This remediation is typically either in English (including both reading and writing) or in mathematics, and some students require remediation in both English and mathematics. Other subject areas (e.g. science) may also have remedial/developmental coursework that is not included in the statistics in this report.
National Answers: Ohio’s need for remediation/developmental coursework of first-year students is
quite similar to the national pattern.
The U.S. Department of Education released a 1996 report* indicating that there is variation nationally in the extent to which campuses “require” or simply “suggest” that under-prepared students enroll in remedial/developmental coursework. This is also true in Ohio. In 1995, 20% of all first-time first-year students in the United States enrolled in remedial/developmental coursework in reading and 25% of all first-year students enrolled in remedial/developmental coursework in writing. In 1995, 27% of all first-time first-year students in the United States enrolled in remedial/developmental coursework in mathematics.
*Remedial Education at Higher Education Institutions in Fall 1995, U.S. Department of Education, NCES 97-584. (October 1996)
Chapter 06-1
Statewide Answers: We were able to identify the college course taking patterns of 52,448 recent
high school graduates who entered public colleges and universities. A high percentage of these students (30%) enrolled in remedial/ developmental mathematics during their first year of college, before they could pursue college level coursework. More than one fifth (21%) of all recent high school graduates who entered a public Ohio college in Autumn 2000 enrolled in remedial/developmental English (including reading and writing). High school graduates who entered college without an academic core were more than twice as likely to require remedial/developmental coursework than were their peers who completed 4 years of English and 3 years each of math, science, and social studies while in high school. High school graduates who entered college without taking a college entrance examination were most likely to require remedial/developmental coursework.
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Readers should take note that entrance into remedial/developmental coursework is not done by simple review of a high school transcript. Rather it is typically done by combination of a high school student having a low high school grade point average and testing in the low range on a entrance exam. Students who do not take the academic core in high school are less prepared than their peers who do take the academic core curriculum in high school. Math English Students Students with not taking known less- the College Students with All known core H.S. than-core H.S. Entrance Enrollees curriculum curriculum Exam 21% 13% 12% Math AND English 6% 27% 18% 36% 25%
Remediation/Developmental Rates in College for 52,448 Recent High School Graduates
Students with known All core H.S. Enrollees curriculum 30% 38% Students Students with known not taking less-than- the College core H.S. Entrance curriculum Exam 46% 56%
19% 42% Math OR English 25% 51%
High School District Groupings Answers: Remediation/Developmental course enrollment
differs greatly by type of high school district. Students who graduated from suburban, very high socio-economic school districts and independent school districts had the lowest requirements for remedial/developmental coursework in mathematics (22%). Students graduating from major city school districts with high poverty rates reported the highest enrollments in remedial/developmental mathematics (45%). It is worth noting, however, that in every type of high school district (from high income to low income) students who graduated from high school without completing the high school academic core were approximately twice as likely to require remedial/developmental coursework in mathematics than were their better prepared peers. The same patterns hold true for remedial/developmental English. The ability of all students to be able to enroll in college level courses is greatly helped by the courses they take in high school. From all types of school districts, high school graduates who entered college without taking a college entrance examination were most likely to require remedial/developmental coursework.
Chapter 06-2
Remediation/Developmental Rates in College for Recent High School Graduates
Math English Students Students Students Students Students with Students with known not taking with known not taking known less-than- the College with known less-than- the College All core H.S. core H.S. Entrance All core H.S. core H.S. Entrance Enrollees curriculum curriculum Exam Enrollees curriculum curriculum Exam
District Grouping Major City, extremely high poverty Urban moderate SES Suburban/urban high SES Suburban very high SES Small town, very high poverty Small town, moderate SES Rural High Poverty Rural Independent Schools Parochial District Grouping Major City, extremely high poverty Urban moderate SES Suburban/urban high SES Suburban very high SES Small town, very high poverty Small town, moderate SES Rural High Poverty Rural Independent Schools Parochial
Enrollment Count Unduplicated All terms of FY 2001
3,969 4,792 12,215 5,177 3,333 6,366 2,706 4,441 628 5,356
45% 36% 29% 22% 29% 29% 33% 26% 22% 26%
33% 22% 18% 15% 19% 17% 19% 16% 17% 19%
55% 45% 41% 37% 40% 41% 43% 36% 28% 39%
59% 57% 51% 43% 48% 45% 52% 41% 37% 49%
34% 24% 18% 12% 24% 20% 26% 18% 11% 16%
23% 14% 10% 7% 15% 11% 15% 10% 7% 11%
41% 28% 24% 21% 34% 27% 31% 23% 18% 24%
50% 42% 38% 29% 40% 38% 50% 33% 18% 35%
Math OR English
Math AND English
3,969 4,792 12,215 5,177 3,333 6,366 2,706 4,441 628 5,356
54% 44% 36% 26% 41% 37% 44% 34% 26% 31%
41% 28% 24% 17% 28% 23% 28% 21% 19% 23%
65% 54% 49% 44% 54% 52% 53% 45% 35% 46%
69% 68% 62% 51% 63% 59% 69% 54% 43% 58%
25% 16% 11% 8% 13% 11% 15% 10% 7% 10%
16% 8% 5% 4% 6% 5% 6% 4% 5% 6%
31% 19% 16% 15% 20% 16% 21% 13% 11% 17%
40% 31% 27% 21% 26% 24% 34% 19% 11% 27%
Chapter 06-3
High School District Answers: • The complete list of remediation rates by high school district can be found at: http://www.regents.state.oh.us/perfrpt/Chapt_6_2002.xls • To demonstrate how these data appear, the Franklin County School districts are reported below.
Remediation/Developmental Rates in College for High School Graduates of 2000*
Math Remediation Rates District name Type of College Attended Districts: Major City, extremely high poverty 299 COLUMBUS CITY public 2-year SD public 4-year 373 total 672 Districts: Urban moderate SES GROVEPORT public 2-year 53 MADISON LOCAL public 4-year 29 SD total 82 SOUTHpublic 2-year 171 WESTERN CITY public 4-year 162 SD total 333 WHITEHALL public 2-year 20 CITY SD public 4-year 16 total 36 Districts: Suburban/urban high SES public 2-year CANAL 13 WINCHESTER public 4-year 36 LOCAL SD total 49 GAHANNApublic 2-year 66 JEFFERSON public 4-year 134 CITY SD total 200 GRANDVIEW public 2-year 8 HEIGHTS CITY public 4-year 25 SD total 33 HILLIARD CITY public 2-year 126 SD public 4-year 155 total 281 REYNOLDSBUR public 2-year 51 G CITY SD public 4-year 104 total 155 WESTERVILLE public 2-year 147 CITY SD public 4-year 285 total 432 Districts: Suburban very high SES BEXLEY CITY SD public 2-year 9 public 4-year 54 total 63 DUBLIN CITY SD public 2-year 107 public 4-year 266 total 373 PLAIN LOCAL SD public 2-year 8 public 4-year 27 total 35 UPPER public 2-year 38 ARLINGTON public 4-year 131 CITY SD total 169 WORTHINGTON public 2-year 101 CITY SD public 4-year 245 total 346 Districts: Small town, very high poverty HAMILTON public 2-year 26 LOCAL SD public 4-year 10 Total 36
Enrollment Count Unduplicated All terms of FY 2001
English Remediation Rates Students with known All core H.S. Enrollees curriculum 47% 22% 33% 30% 17% 26% 33% 4% 19% 30% 17% 23% 8% 12% 23% 5% 11% 25% 4% 9% 29% 7% 17% 39% 5% 16% 25% 6% 13% 22% 11% 13% 25% 2% 9% 38% 11% 17% 18% 4% 7% 16% 4% 8% 38% 28% 38% 18% 24% 26% 20% 23% 28% 1% 10% 40% 13% 29% 4% 9% 5% 3% 4% Students with known lessthan-core H.S. curriculum 53% 30% 43% 30% 23% 31% 8% 22% Students not taking the College Entrance Exam 51% 41% 49% 36% 50% 38% 44% 42% 50% 44% 50% 100% 67% 33% 18% 28% 33% 20% 20% 24% 17% 21% 39% 8% 19% 23% 11% 16% 50% 25% 33% 39% 6% 14% 50% 18% 23% 19% 25% 11% 17% 13% 8% 18% 39% 40% 39% 69% 53% 38% 33% 38%
Students Students Students with known not taking with known less-than- the College All core H.S. core H.S. Entrance Enrollees curriculum curriculum Exam 76% 32% 51% 83% 21% 61% 80% 6% 44% 90% 13% 56% 69% 17% 31% 64% 13% 30% 63% 16% 27% 74% 8% 38% 65% 13% 30% 65% 9% 28% 56% 11% 17% 77% 5% 25% 50% 15% 23% 71% 8% 22% 70% 8% 26% 81% 10% 61% 74% 28% 40% 84% 15% 49% 78% 3% 27% 80% 27% 86% 15% 30% 58% 8% 17% 50% 7% 12% 67% 5% 23% 55% 14% 24% 64% 4% 16% 33% 9% 11% 79% 4% 18% 6% 6% 73% 7% 14% 69% 5% 16% 83% 42% 80% 43% 63% 78% 29% 67% 81% 10% 52% 100% 40% 75% 50% 22% 31% 69% 15% 40% 40% 40% 84% 17% 57% 89% 14% 39% 66% 26% 45% 100% 25% 50% 83% 8% 28% 50% 29% 36% 54% 44% 79% 14% 44% 88% 25% 67% 73% 48% 68% 91% 50% 85% 80% 77% 88% 78% 50% 33% 61% 55% 59% 67% 20% 45% 70% 40% 66% 46% 0% 35% 67% 33% 60% 50% 14% 27% 71% 7% 55% 100% 25% 50% 90% 33% 69% 66% 25% 54% 75% 0% 75%
11% 8% 28% 6% 16%
27% 3% 10% 20% 3% 7% 18% 4% 7% 33% 7% 9% 15% 1% 4% 19% 17% 13% 2% 4% 15% 2% 5% 83% 42%
29% 18% 32% 7% 25% 50% 17% 20% 33% 25% 11% 13% 11% 33% 33%
* = Cell Sizes < 5 students – blanked out for confidentiality purposes
Chapter 06-4
Remediation/Developmental Rates in College for High School Graduates of 2000*
Enrollment Count Unduplicated All terms of FY 2001
Type of College District name Attended Districts: Independent Schools COLUMBUS ACADEMY HIGH COLUMBUS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS HIGH COLUMBUS TORAH ACADEMY HIGH EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY HIGH LIBERTY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY HIGH MARANATHA CHRISTIAN HIGH MARBURN ACADEMY HIGH TREE OF LIFENORTHRIDGE BRANCH WELLINGTON HIGH WORLD HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACAD H public 2-year public 4-year Total public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total
Math Remediation Rates English Remediation Rates Students Students Students with not taking Students Students Students with with with known not taking known the known less-thanCollege known less-than- the College All core H.S. core H.S. Entrance All core H.S. core H.S. Entrance Enrollees curriculum curriculum Exam Exam Enrollees curriculum curriculum
<5 13 16 10 10 <5 5 6 <5 <5 7 5 5 10 8 <5 10 <5 <5 6 11 17 <5 5 6 6 5 11 20% 33% 100% 20% 64% 25% 40% 100% 20% 43% 100% 100% 27% 14% 100% 100% 100% 50% 50% 100% 67% 27% 41% 33% 14% 20% 100% 50% 67% 100% 6% 17% 100% 17% 50% 60% 33% 100% 67% 30% 100% 33% 10% 75% 50% 100% 50% 80% 10% 38% 100% 50% 40% 29% 20% 17% 100% 50% 14% 20% 17% 50% 10% 10% 11% 11%
* = Cell Sizes < 5 students – blanked out for confidentiality purposes
Chapter 06-5
Remediation/Developmental Rates in College for High School Graduates of 2000*
Math OR English Students Students with known with known less-thanAll core H.S. core H.S. Enrollees curriculum curriculum 82% 41% 59% 87% 28% 66% 83% 8% 47% 90% 13% 56% 69% 25% 37% 70% 15% 33% 63% 16% 27% 78% 12% 41% 75% 14% 34% 68% 13% 32% 67% 17% 24% 79% 6% 27% 50% 22% 29% 71% 8% 22% 71% 9% 27% 85% 10% 64% 78% 37% 48% 84% 25% 54% 83% 4% 29% 80% 27% 86% 19% 33% 58% 10% 19% 50% 7% 12% 73% 8% 26% 60% 16% 26% 65% 7% 19% 67% 12% 15% 79% 4% 19% 19% 17% 73% 7% 14% 69% 6% 17% 100% 50% 88% 49% 70% 83% 29% 70% 83% 15% 55% 100% 40% 75% 50% 33% 38% 76% 15% 43% 40% 40% 84% 20% 59% 94% 14% 41% 70% 32% 50% 100% 50% 67% 83% 12% 30% 50% 29% 36% 54% 44% 79% 14% 44% 88% 25% 67% Students not taking the College Entrance Exam 81% 63% 77% 100% 50% 92% 83% 79% 88% 78% 50% 100% 67% 72% 55% 66% 67% 20% 45% 76% 60% 74% 69% 53% 69% 33% 63% 50% 29% 36% 78% 14% 62% 100% 25% 50% 90% 50% 75% 68% 31% 57% 75% 0% 75% Math AND English Students Students with known with known less-thancore H.S. core H.S. curriculum curriculum 35% 9% 16% 26% 10% 18% 24% 7% 40% 13% 29% 6% 5% 1% 2% 21% 6% 13% 20% 20% 24% 13% 20% 33% 8% 17% 19% 5% 12% 50% 5% 4% 15% 3% 6% 6% 13% 2% 4% 15% 1% 4% 67% 33% 17% 39% 2% 12% 50% 18% 23% 19% 25% 11% 17% 13% 8% 14% 9% 24% 18% 50% 17% 20% 17% 19% 8% 6% 7% 33% 33% 46% 23% 36% 26% 20% 29% 3% 18% Students not taking the College Entrance Exam 44% 26% 40% 27% 50% 31% 41% 40% 50% 44% 50% 33% 22% 18% 21% 33% 18% 33% 20% 32% 46% 35% 36% 33% 35%
Type of College District name Attended Districts: Major City, extremely high poverty COLUMBUS public 2-year 299 CITY SD public 4-year 373 Total 672 Districts: Urban moderate SES GROVEPORT public 2-year 53 MADISON public 4-year 29 LOCAL SD Total 82 SOUTHpublic 2-year 171 WESTERN public 4-year 162 CITY SD Total 333 WHITEHALL public 2-year 20 CITY SD public 4-year 16 Total 36 Districts: Suburban/urban high SES CANAL Public 2-year 13 WINCHESTER public 4-year 36 LOCAL SD Total 49 GAHANNApublic 2-year 66 JEFFERSON public 4-year 134 CITY SD Total 200 GRANDVIEW public 2-year 8 HEIGHTS CITY public 4-year 25 SD Total 33 HILLIARD CITY public 2-year 126 SD public 4-year 155 Total 281 REYNOLDSBU public 2-year 51 RG CITY SD public 4-year 104 Total 155 WESTERVILLE public 2-year 147 CITY SD public 4-year 285 Total 432 Districts: Suburban very high SES BEXLEY CITY public 2-year 9 SD public 4-year 54 Total 63 DUBLIN CITY public 2-year 107 SD public 4-year 266 Total 373 PLAIN LOCAL public 2-year 8 SD public 4-year 27 Total 35 UPPER public 2-year 38 ARLINGTON public 4-year 131 CITY SD Total 169 WORTHINGTO public 2-year 101 N CITY SD public 4-year 245 Total 346 Districts: Small town, very high poverty HAMILTON public 2-year 26 LOCAL SD public 4-year 10 Total 36
Enrollment Count Unduplicated All terms of FY 2001
All Enrollees 41% 13% 26% 26% 10% 21% 30% 1% 16% 30% 17% 23% 6% 17% 4% 8% 25% 4% 9% 25% 4% 14% 29% 4% 12% 22% 2% 9% 11% 6% 6% 22% 1% 7% 38% 4% 11% 18% 3% 7% 15% 3% 6% 35% 25%
21% 1% 7% 15% 2% 5% 16% 4%
* = Cell Sizes < 5 students – blanked out for confidentiality purposes
Chapter 06-6
Remediation/Developmental Rates in College for High School Graduates of 2000*
Math OR English Students Students with known with known less-thanAll core H.S. core H.S. Enrollees curriculum curriculum Students not taking the College Entrance Exam Math AND English Students Students with known with known less-thancore H.S. core H.S. curriculum curriculum Students not taking the College Entrance Exam
Type of College District name Attended Districts: Independent Schools COLUMBUS public 2-year ACADEMY public 4-year HIGH Total COLUMBUS public 4-year SCHOOL FOR GIRLS HIGH Total COLUMBUS public 2-year TORAH public 4-year ACADEMY HIGH Total EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY HIGH LIBERTY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY HIGH MARANATHA CHRISTIAN HIGH MARBURN ACADEMY HIGH TREE OF LIFENORTHRIDGE BRANCH public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year public 4-year Total public 2-year Total public 2-year public 4-year
Enrollment Count Unduplicated All terms of FY 2001
All Enrollees
<5 13 16 10 10 <5 5 6 <5 <5 7 5 5 10 8 <5 10 <5 <5 6 11 17 <5 5 6 6 5 11 20% 33% 100% 20% 64% 25% 40% 100% 20% 43% 100% 100% 27% 14% 100% 100% 100% 50% 50% 100% 67% 27% 41% 33% 14% 20% 100% 50% 67% 100% 6% 17% 100% 17% 50% 60% 33% 100% 67% 30% 100% 10% 75% 50% 100% 50% 80% 10% 38% 100% 29% 20% 17% 100% 50% 14% 20% 17% 10% 10% 11% 11%
50% 50% 40% 33%
Total WELLINGTON public 2-year HIGH public 4-year Total WORLD HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACAD H public 2-year public 4-year Total
* = Cell Sizes < 5 students – blanked out for confidentiality purposes
Chapter 06-7