CBS News is reporting:
The number of kids behind the 8-ball is the highest in years, CBS 2′s Marcia Kramer reported Thursday.
Officials told CBS 2′s Kramer that nearly 80 percent of those who
graduate from city high schools arrived at City University’s community
college system without having mastered the skills to do college-level
work.
In sheer numbers it means that nearly 11,000 kids who got diplomas from city high schools needed remedial courses to re-learn the basics.
To meet the needs of the students, City University has launched a
special program called CUNY Start. It provides low-cost immersion
classes. Sherry Mason teaches a writing class.
“They get lost sometimes in the classrom and in CUNY Start we give
them a lot more one-on-one attention, small grouip [sic] work. It helps them
achieve more in a short amount of time and so they’re able to get on
with their credit classes,” Mason said.
I am not sure what a "New York grouip" is.
I live in Helsinki and had some American/Finnish friends over last night and we discussed this very topic. The Finn's were of couse appalled by this. How could anyone ever receive a high school diploma and not understand basic reading/writing. Finlands high school test scores rank anywhere from #1 to #3 in the world. Some interesting stats: Finland spends 30% less per student then the US, kids dont start school until they are 7 years old vs. 5 in the US, teachers must have at least a masters degree, in the US, teachers make 60% of a typical college graduate, while in Finlad they make 102%. Education here is 'free'. I say 'free' because taxes are outragous here. There are no high school sports here. The people I have talked to have never heard of a pep rally or school spirit week. Things us Americans grew up with going to school.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't agree with many things here in Finland, they do know how to educate the kids.
What surprises me is that CUNY (the community college can bring these students "up to speed" in a few weeks, and the public schools had 12 years (or more) to get them to that level (and failed). Or someone failed. But, yes, I assume many of the males who cannot read can play basketball. Or football.
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