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[chris fitzgerald]

If you think students are not ready for college now, just wait a few years!

We in La. just finished "High Stakes Testing" where a student must make a 38 or 40% to ensure high school graduation provided core requirements are met.  I'm not 100% sure of the passing score but I don't think it is much higher.  Our 66 or 67 school districts in La. are compared to each other based on these test scores, drop out rates, and a couple of other things none of which measures a students readiness for college.  If a school does not perform well students can move to another school that is doing better.  If a school is doing poorly teachers can be transferred or the school can be closed.  Please understand that this "test" does not measure a students readiness for college but to ensure that the student can perform tasks required for a high school diploma with a passing score of around 40%!  My best guess is that most superintendents are holding their breath until these scores are released.

Until colleges start sending some type of correspondence back to high schools and districts about the number of students taking remedial courses I'm afraid things won't change.

Next year we will be implementing a new program called the comprehensive curriculum.  If this is supposed to be reform then we may want to step back and see if we really do want reform!

[zharkov]

Sad to say, but La has pretty poor schools, and pre-Katrina.

For a state by state ranking, see:

http://measuringup.highereducation.org