Monday, December 4, 2006

The Reg blasts CA community colleges

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The editorial in this morning’s OC Register gives California’s community colleges an “F.”

See
Community colleges not making the grade
. Some excerpts:
California's vast network of community colleges is dramatically underperforming in two of its most fundamental jobs—graduating students with two-year associate degrees and transferring students to four-year colleges and universities.

A good teacher might give community colleges an "F."

…Belly-button gazers may struggle to explain why such financially blessed schools don't deliver on two of their most basic responsibilities…. But don't expect them to consider the obvious. The obvious is that not everyone belongs in college, let alone transferring to a four-year school. The obvious is colleges that spend disproportionate amounts of time teaching students what they should have learned in high school probably won't turn out vast numbers of upper-division scholars.

Sadly, we don't expect community college officials to work against their own financial interest to reduce the scope or size of their kingdom.

But public education funded by taxes claims to serve a public interest. When 90 percent of community colleges' students don't finish the curriculum, and three-fourths never get to a four-year college, it's time for someone to reevaluate whether the curriculum is serving the public.
SEE:

Dec. 3: Bill Hewitt’s letter

Nov. 25: Sans surge

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...