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Monday, January 14, 2008
Improve College And Career Readiness In Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Too many high school graduates in Georgia are not well-prepared for college. Did you know only about half of the students who begin a four-year degree in our state actually graduate? Even fewer who start two-year degree or career programs finish.
When most jobs were on the mill or farm, Georgians need not worry. But today almost everyone needs some type of education beyond high school. The jobs in greatest demand require a four-year degree, two-year degree or specialized training.
Until recently, Georgia had never defined what it means to be “ready” for college or a career. Instead, the state defined readiness using low-level high school graduation exams.
The good news is state officials have developed college-readiness standards, which were incorporated into the Georgia Performance Standards for K-12 public schools. The written guidelines help teachers understand precisely the levels of reading, writing and math skills students need to begin college or career training.
This puts our state ahead of many others. But the boards for the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia need to formally adopt them too, so that we have a seamless system of academic standards from K-16.
All public colleges in Georgia need to specify that they will not require students to take remedial college courses if students score at a certain level on the state’s high school tests. Higher education can help make college readiness a major state priority by taking this step.
This shouldn’t put more pressure on classroom teachers, nor should it get in the way of more people attending college. Rather, it can help teachers raise instruction to a higher level and help more students attend and be successful in college.
Georgia needs better-educated residents. Full implementation of college and career-readiness standards would be a good start.
Today’s guest blogger is the director of communications for the Atlanta-based Southern Regional Education Board, which guides states on education policy. If you would like to be a guest blogger here, send an entry on any education topic to bgutierrez@ajc.com. Include the words “guest blog” in the e-mail’s subject field.
