Page 337 - Crisis in Higher Education

Revamping Relationships • 307

2. Eroding standards (root cause 8): When content and performance stan-
dards are set across public high schools, community and technical col-
leges, and universities, standards are maintained or enhanced and the
quality of graduates improves.
3. Lack of student preparation (root cause 9): When educational gaps are
addressed, students have the knowledge they need, universities no
longer require remedial courses, graduation rates should improve,
and potential employers should have better employees.

14.7 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Following is a list of the key recommendations that comprise this element
of the solution.

1. When students are preparing for a degree in higher education, they
should take as many rigorous high school courses as possible.
2. States should work with high schools, public community and
technical colleges, and public universities to create meaningful
college preparatory and vocational tracks and to ensure that stu-
dents get the best education at the lowest cost. This includes the
use of the HEC to coordinate course offerings among these enti-
ties and eliminate redundancies and gaps.
3. Many states offer virtual high school options to young students.
This capability should be extended to adults who dropped out of
elementary or high school so they can complete their degree and
have the opportunity for a better life, including access to higher
education.
4. Universities would be prohibited from offering remedial/high
school–level courses. Students who are missing courses would go to
their state-supported website to complete them.
5. Students using community and technical colleges to lower the costs
of higher education should make sure that their coursework trans-
fers to universities and meets graduation requirements.
6. It is vital to standardize college preparatory classes offered in high
school with similar offerings in public two-year colleges and four-
year universities so students do not waste time or money.