Tiara Carr was stunned when she was placed in a remedial writing course at St. Paul College last fall. After all, she had taken college-level classes in high school.
It was more than a blow to her ego. She would have to spend time — and hundreds of dollars in tuition — on a refresher class that won't count toward her degree or, in her words, "get me any closer to graduation."
This month, she took her story to the Legislature as part of a growing national movement to try to eliminate such "basic skills" courses in college.
While the idea is gaining support among lawmakers, educators at Minnesota's community colleges say it would be a prescription for disaster for many struggling students.
"You can't take somebody who reads at junior high reading level, throw them into the deep end of the pool and say, 'OK, swim,' " said Laurel Watt, who teaches remedial reading and study skills at Inver Hills Community College. "And that's what this bill [does.]"
Last year, more than 40,000 Minnesota students were placed in remedial classes, mainly at community colleges, after tests showed they weren't up to snuff in math, reading or writing. In all, more than a quarter of Minnesota high school graduates end up taking at least one remedial course in college, according to state data.
Reformers argue that the placement tests are flawed and that such classes, while well-intentioned, often backfire on students like Carr, making it less likely that they'll ever finish college.
Now, they're asking legislators to scrap the remedial-education system at Minnesota's state colleges and universities, saying those students would be better off in "real" college-level courses that offer some extra help, such as tutors.