California Public Education

"Analysts says that high schools send the CSU thousands of students who aren’t prepared to succeed academically. In fall 2017, almost 40 percent of the system’s new freshmen had to take remedial English or math."

Were it not so incredibly serious, this quote from an article in the San Diego Union-Tribune might be shrugged off as not being possibly true.  Most probably, however, the result will be teacher unions attempting to discredit the information, blaming the lack of money for student poor performance, and otherwise working to shift attention from an indisputable fact: California public education fails families.

Consider for a moment the information cited in the quote.  40 percent of those admitted to the California State University (CSU) system required remediation.  That is forty percent of those admitted, meaning the students had grades, scores, and other achievements to be accepted to one of the CSU universities.  What about the countless students suffering through in California public education whose grades and scores were insufficient to earn university admission?

Continuing, a compelling data point would be the university graduation rate for students falling within that forty percent requiring remediation.  How many actually earn a college degree, whether it takes four or six or twenty years?  If requiring remediation, it is reasonable to predict their overall academic preparedness is highly suspect.

Maybe the remediation, drop out, and failure rates among students who are products of the California public education system contribute to the increases in admissions to the CSU and UC systems for out of state and foreign students.  Admission increases in those demographics probably help shore up the university graduation rates, which otherwise would be held down by California students.

At this point it is essential to not blame the students.  They are products of failed education policies.  Placed in the right school environments, with strong academic programs, students (including those from low income and ethnic/racial minorities) can and do succeed.  The Preuss School UCSD is a perfect example.

Mentioning the Preuss School highlights the growth of charter schools in California.  When public education fails their children, families look for alternatives.  Those who can pay for private schools.  Those who can't look to charters.  Yet charters are under attack in California, as illustrated by demands made by teacher unions in Los Angeles and Oakland.  Though the unions may scream and shout; attempt to obfuscate; and limit the number of charter schools (their educational competition), it is irrefutable that if public education worked, families would not be seeking out alternatives.

The bottom line is horrible.  When the California public education system produces high school graduates unprepared for academic success in its universities, even after 40 percent of freshmen receive remediation, the only possible conclusion is that this taxpayer funded education system is a failure.     

K-12 Public Education in California

While perusing the news online, I came upon a local editorial concerning public education. Here’s an astounding bit. “ In the fall 2016 term, 23 percent of CSU [California State University] freshmen had to take remedial English and 28 percent had to take remedial math, with some students needing both such classes, which don’t provide credit toward college graduation.” Also astonishing was information the average high school 3.2 GPA for these students.

So, if understanding correctly, roughly one-fourth of the students admitted as freshmen to the CSU system did not meet basic math and English proficiency.  And this is for the admitted students, perhaps implying an even higher rate for those not provided entry in the competitive admissions process.  This, after years of increased education budget demands by the teacher unions, which claim to be doing a much better job educating California K-12 students, as reflected in higher graduation rates and higher GPAs. Yeah, right!

Reading what came next produced a shaking head. “CSU officials see the remedial classes as frustrating students, prompting some to drop out and slowing the progress to graduation for many.”  Of course students requiring remediation in English and math are going to be frustrated. After being socially promoted and given "good" grades by the members of the California Teachers Association, the harsh reality of undergraduate university education causes tremendous angst.  For years these students were coddled, only to find themselves ill prepared for college studies. So it is no surprise many drop out. And I would guess the majority of the impacted students are minority and low income.

Yet their plight has nothing to do with their race, ethnicity, or economic levels. These has been proved by the demanding coursework and approach by the Preuss School UCSD.  Admitting solely low income, first generation (neither parent attended college) students, then teaching only a demanding college prep curriculum, Preuss provides an education leading to highly qualified students ready for college.  Far too many California general public schools do not.

Per the editorial, the CSU’s answer, “No longer willing to wait for K-12 schools to improve, CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White last week announced that beginning in fall 2018, CSU will drop the English and math placement tests and end noncredit remedial classes.  CSU officials see the remedial classes as frustrating students, prompting some to drop out and slowing the progress to graduation for many.  They believe new ways can be adopted to help students improve English and math skills while taking regular college coursework.” 

What an abysmal and short sighted approach, particularly in the face of the all too common results from typical public schools.  Ignoring the lack of academic preparedness will not solve the problem.  How does one boost a college freshman’s inadequate math and English proficiency to levels required for university studies without remediation?  How can a college freshman begin successful studies without the minimum English and math proficiency, when the K-12 system does not educate to it??

If the CSU feels students are currently frustrated with remediation, what do they believe will happen as more and more students fail classes due to lack of English and math proficiency?  Perhaps they will reduce the number of students admitted from California public schools, in order to reduce the number of struggling freshmen.  Or maybe they will simply adopt the K-12 public school strategy of social promotion and grade/graduation inflation, providing employers a grossly under-educated employee pool.

Simply disgusting.

Putting all of this in perspective, let it be kept in mind that the admissions criteria for the CSU system is not as rigorous as the majority of the top universities and colleges in the nation.  Thus graduates of the conventional Californian public K-12 systems are unable to compete for spots in the most prestigious schools in the country.

Why do the people not see that lowering the standards, as the CSU appears to be doing, is not the answer?  For too many years the all too politically powerful California teacher unions have wasted taxpayer provided resources.  K-12 education is the foundation, one that needs immediate attention.  Attention, not dollars.  Effective policies, not apologies.  Teacher accountability, not raises for union officials.  Upheld standards, not social promotion.  Rigorous academics, not expensive sports programs.  Longer school days and school years, not fewer.

Until the people of California fully appreciate the seriousness of the failing public K-12 system, their sons and daughters will be less and less prepared for higher education.