Page 334 - Crisis in Higher Education

304 • Crisis in Higher Education

interested in returning to earn a diploma. The infrastructure and relation-
ships exist, so the marginal cost of adding additional students should be
modest. Some modification may be needed to accommodate adult learns,
but those should be modest as well. Adult learners would gain the same
knowledge as if they had completed high school. There would be no extra-
curricular activities such as sports, band, and choir. It seems positive for
society to help adults move from welfare or menial work to jobs with liv-
ing wages.

14.3.2 Dealing with Unprepared Students
Some high school graduates from the college preparatory track may not
take the courses they should. This error can be greatly reduced or elimi-
nated because the college preparatory track provides clear direction
about what courses to take, and students’ schedules should be moni-
tored by counselors and parents. Students who are missing one or more
courses from the college preparatory list would be required to go to the
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K12-School website, or similar, to complete these courses. This allows
students to avoid taking remedial courses at public institutions of higher
learning and paying high tuition costs for things they should have learned
in high school. To ensure this happens, public community and technical
colleges and universities would be prohibited from offering remedial/high
school–level courses.
Other students may have taken the right courses but did not learn the
subject well enough. This group should be helped by recommendations
made earlier to have content and standard for college preparatory courses
set so they meets the requirements of higher education. If, in spite of these
efforts, some students are deficient, they could also learn the content from
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the K12-School website, or similar.

14.4 PATHWAYS TO LIFELONG LEARNING
The mantra of education is lifelong learning, which is appropriate.
A knowledge-based economy requires continuous learning, and in many
jobs, professional development is an integral part of the work. Nurses,
psychologists, and many others require continuing education to main-
tain certification and licensure. Community college degrees can lead to