Here's a very relevant article from the New York Times on the
"readiness" of students for college work and remedial classes.
Donna
djgbrian at utk.edu

<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/02/education/02college.html?ex=115786080
0&en=d5cfaff8cdeb31bb&ei=5070&emc=eta1> 

-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Albanese, Donna
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 1:51 PM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 484] Re: GED and College Admissions

Getting students "college ready" has been an issue for years,
particularly not knowing exactly what college ready means from state to
state or from college to college. In Ohio, we are crosswalking college
readiness standards with our ABLE standards to identify the gaps and
make needed revisions. I'd be interested to hear from states or programs
that are currently involved in or have completed this process. 

Donna Albanese, Consultant
Ohio Department of Education
Adult Basic and Literacy Education
25 South Front Street, Stop 614
Columbus, Ohio  43215-4183
Phone:  614-466-5015
Fax:  614-728-8470
e-mail:  donna.albanese at ode.state.oh.us
 
-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Crawford, June
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 11:45 AM
To: Assessment at nifl.gov
Subject: [Assessment 482] GED and College Admissions

For many years prior to my employment with the federal government, I
directed a university learning center that offered developmental
classes, ran the university's placement testing program, and offered
tutoring, ESL classes, and services for those with learning disabilities
and other physical disabilities.  Over a 20 year period I saw the test
results for at least 15,000 students and I can say without any doubt
that having a GED was NOT a guarantee that an entering student had the
reading, writing, or math skills that were required as the basic skills
before attempting college-level classes.  We saw many adults enter
college with a GED who had large gaps between what we anticipated would
be the skill level of high school graduates and those who just passed
high school with minimum skill levels.  And, unfortunately, we saw many
of them leave college in academic difficulty - and with debts for
tuition. (I was the person, in the end, who interviewed all these people
and had to send the final letters of
dismissal.)

Adults who wish to go on for more education need to be advised that
having a piece of paper that says you have a high school diploma is not
sufficient.
There are basic skills and then there are more advanced skills and the
person who will be successful at the college level has to be able to
perform competently from the beginning.  Just as about 1/3 of high
school graduates are not ready for the level of work required at a
college, the GED does not adequately prepare most students.  If we could
connect jobs to skill levels and make this clear to students and parents
and employers and employees, this would be a real boon to the American
economy and school system.

Perhaps it is time to consider levels of readiness and make it clear to
high school students and to adults in adult education that there are
varying levels depending on the end goal.  People need to know how they
need to be able to perform for the goals they set for themselves.  Paper
just doesn't do it; performance is the key to success. 
June Crawford
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