Set up for failure

Another great post from our Summer Intern. Thank you Heidi for your great work!

The New York Times recently published the article "Schools Are Given a Grade on How Graduates Do" which really hit home for me. The article touched on how New York Public School graduates are not ready for college-level classes and why these districts should be informed of their graduates' performance in college. Manhattan Community College student Sharasha Croslen's story mirrored that of mine, she was placed in a remedial math class because she lacked the basic skills necessary to succeed in college-level math. I also took remedial math last year and understand the frustration she felt over not understanding something I should have learned in high school. In fact, I felt embarrassed and scared that I would not even pass these basic classes, so I can deeply sympathize with students like Ms. Croslen. Although the New York school district is graduating high school students, they are not prepared for higher education, which is a problem I gather is common in public school districts. For students who already feel intimidated and out of place in college because of their of class standing, not being able to understand their coursework becomes the final straw leading working-class students to drop out of college. I think it would be incredibly beneficial for these schools to gain information regarding the number of their graduates placed into these remedial classes, and also the percentage that graduate from college. I sincerely hope that maybe if these districts learn how much they are failing their students they will take some steps to solving this problem.