Lt. Gov.: Community Colleges Are Falling Short
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon says the state's community colleges are falling short, and has some suggestions for improvement.
As WBBM Newsradio's Bob Conway reports, four out of five community college students fail to get their degree on time.
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Simon is calling for better math education in high schools and tying colleges' funding to student success rates.
In a report to be released Thursday, Simon asserts that Illinois is not getting enough out of its community colleges. Instead of degrees or job training, many students only end up in debt.
A major part of the problem, Simon says is that students are not ready when they enroll.
Almost half of recent high school graduates in Illinois community colleges have to take at least one remedial course. These courses don't count toward a degree, but still cost students time and money.
Simon recommends requiring students to take math classes all four years of high school, instead of just three. She also says remedial courses should count toward a degree in some cases.
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