This month will mark a number of college and universities commencement ceremonies. Next month many high schools hold their graduations. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley talked with a national leader of higher education about why some students are still not 'college ready'.
"Remediation is something that actually we haven’t been as good at as we would like to be. It is about a $5 billion cost for this country to provide remediation,” said Dr. Muriel Howard, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington. She is also the former Buffalo State president.
The organization works for public higher education. When it comes to college remediation, SUNY has spent millions, in fact about $70 millon a year.
"I think it’s important for us to really do a better job in the K-through-12 sector, and so that when students they are ready, but everybody’s not going to follow the same model or the same pathway to attend college, so I do think we have to be prepared for those that come to us and may need some additional support,” Howard explained.
Howard said they are working initiatives to help colleges and universities that are dealing with the high costs of remediation.
“We’re looking at an alternative pathway project for mathematics for example – 50-percent of the students, who drop out of college can’t pass the calculus course and so we’re working with institutions across the country and with all the mathematical associations to determine how we can develop other pathways,” Howard said.
Howard tells WBFO it’s important to meet students where they are in their learning experience and they must "commit" to realize each individual learns at a different rate.
