Despite high school algebra focus, more students need remedial college math
- From: Ablang <ron916@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 19:08:12 -0700 (PDT)
Despite high school algebra focus, more students need remedial college
math
By Deb Kollars - dkollars at sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, May 12, 2008
Five years ago, California took a bold step and began requiring
algebra of every graduating high school senior. The grumbling ran
deep. The work was hard. The underlying equation came through loud and
clear:
More math in high school would equal more students prepared for
college.
For many, it hasn't added up.
In a pattern that has area math professors scratching their heads,
some community colleges are seeing an increase in the numbers and
proportions of entering students who can't do algebra, or even basic
arithmetic.
At Sierra College in Rocklin, for example, of the 199 sections of math
being taught this year, 68 of them – 34 percent – are arithmetic, pre-
algebra or beginning algebra. Most students seeking a two-year or four-
year degree must master those levels of math and in many cases go
beyond.
Five years ago, the percentage of remedial math courses at Sierra was
28 percent.
Last year at Cosumnes River College in Elk Grove, 40.8 percent of
incoming students who took a math placement exam tested into
arithmetic or pre-algebra, up from 38.1 percent two years earlier. The
proportion of courses in beginning algebra, pre-algebra and arithmetic
at Cosumnes has marched steadily upward, from 43 percent in 2003 to
almost 52 percent this year.
"It's the million-dollar question," said Mary Martin, math department
chair at Cosumnes. "We are asking more of our high school students, so
why isn't it transferring over to college?"
Response falls short
California high schools have responded to the monumental task of
getting students through algebra, Martin and other math professors
say, but the push is falling short.
It has educators concerned because algebra is considered a key subject
for developing critical thinking skills. It provides the language and
foundation for numerous fields, from nursing to the sciences to
architecture.
One of the biggest reasons for the large wave of college students
behind in algebra is timing. If a student takes algebra as an eighth-
or ninth-grader, it often means arriving at a community college or
state college with several years separating their last encounter with
x and y.
"You have to keep practicing your skills or they diminish," said
Michael Kane, interim dean of sciences and mathematics at Sierra
College. "The pipeline from secondary education to college can have
such big gaps."
Even students who have worked through several years of higher math in
high school can find themselves back at the algebra drawing board. Too
often, high school standards do not run as high as college standards,
professors said. The state's high school exit exam, required to
graduate from public school, tests basic math and pre-algebra skills,
but doesn't go deeply into algebra, they said.
In addition, if students earn C's or lower in high school math
courses, or if teachers grade too softly, it can lead to wider gaps.
"If you get a C in a math class and you try to go on and build, you're
going to have holes," said Cosumnes math professor Lora Stewart.
A mathematical truth
Jessie Bahn, 24, is a classic example. A 2001 graduate of Rocklin High
School, she earned a C in algebra as a sophomore.
Now a sophomore at Sierra College, Bahn hopes to transfer to the
University of California, Davis, to study environmental science. This
semester, she is in her second go-round with beginning algebra,
grappling with variables and difficult equations.
"Being put back in this class was frustrating
," she said. "It's things you have already learned. You think you
should know them, but you don't any more."
Bahn is among tens of thousands of young adults across California
facing a mathematical truth: Algebra matters.
Community college students earning an associate's degree must pass
beginning algebra or show they have proficiency – scoring high enough
on a placement test or having passed advanced math in high school.
Starting next year, two-year degrees will require either intermediate
algebra or an equivalent course, Martin said. Community college
students transferring to a four-year university must meet even higher
math thresholds.
The California State University and University of California systems
require three years of math – algebra 1, geometry and intermediate
algebra – for admission.
A bachelor's degree requires a college-level math course. The courses
vary, depending on the major, but for each, intermediate algebra is a
prerequisite.
On the more selective UC campuses, college math requirements vary with
the majors.
For students entering college, being behind in algebra can carry a big
price, Kane said.
"It impacts a student in every possible way," he said. "The most
important factor is time." Dropping back two or three levels in math
can add extra semesters of work.
"You see every possible emotion in remedial math classes – tears,
fears, frustration, embarrassment," Kane added. "The anxiety level in
those classrooms is so high."
Patching the disconnect
The "disconnect" between high school and college algebra has educators
reviewing teaching practices.
In the Sacramento City Unified School District, for example, a task
force this year found inconsistencies at the fifth- and sixth-grade
levels in the way essential skills such as fractions and decimals were
being taught. If students don't get a solid grounding in such basic
skills, they likely will have trouble in higher math courses,
associate superintendent Mary Shelton said.
"We have been smoothing that out all year," she said. "We want our
students to be ready for college."
The state's community college system began a $33 million-a-year "Basic
Skills Initiative" last year to address remediation in math and
English, said Carole Bogue-Feinour, vice chancellor for academic
affairs.
At different campuses, anywhere from 60 percent to 80 percent of those
tested need one or more courses in basic math and English before they
can move into college-level work, Bogue-Feinour said.
At Cosumnes River College, the math department has begun using a new
online program called "MyMathLab" that provides individualized support
and active learning opportunities for students.
"I used to hate algebra," said Cosumnes student Stephen Rangel, 19. He
took algebra twice at Galt High School, passing the second time. He's
facing beginning algebra again at Cosumnes, but now he's using the new
software. "I used to be in trouble. Now I can actually help other
people."
The CSU system also is concerned, said Robby Ching, chair of the
learning skills center at California State University, Sacramento.
Statistics show the percentage of first-time freshmen who met entry
requirements, but still needed remediation in math, rose to 37.2
percent last fall – up from 36.7 percent in 2003.
At CSUS, the percentage needing remedial math was higher, at 41.8
percent last fall, although that figure fell 2.8 percentage points
over the past five years.
The state college system has been reaching out to high schools to find
solutions, Ching said. Among the possibilities: Designing a senior
year math course to help bridge the gaps.
Many high schools let math go by the wayside during the senior year,
Ching said. The Elk Grove Unified School District is an exception. It
requires all seniors to take a math course their last year of high
school, said Associate Superintendent Christina Pena.
The goal: to better position students for success in college and
maintain rigor in the senior year.
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