The Articulation between Universities and High Schools in the U.S.

From the Perspectives of Remedial and General Education

Abstract

　 The aim of this paper is to examine the articulation between universities and high schools in the U.S. from the perspectives of remedial and general education, based on case studies of four universities in California. The following three procedures are employed : 1) an overview of how remedial education spread in the nation ; 2) an examination of the achievement of high school students ; 3) an analysis of the effect of remedial education on university education.

　 Approximately eighty percent of universities have remedial courses, and approximately twenty percent of first-year students in 1995 took remedial courses. Given the nature of the educational mission of high schools and the selection system of universities, there has long been an articulation gap between high schools and universities. Remedial education, however, has spread, along with the massification of higher education and the increase of ethnic minority entrants since the 1960 s.

　 Remedial education brings two main problems to university education. One of them is that it puts university finance under pressure in many ways. One university in the case study plans to abolish remedial education within the next ten years. Those students who fail to pass the final exams of remedial courses will be forced to transfer to other institutions. In another case, general education courses have been substituted for remedial courses. Students can now earn credits toward graduation with the former remedial courses.

　 The other problem is in the curricular aspect. The difference in level and content may not be distinct between remedial courses and required general education courses in writing or mathematics. In some cases, the fundamental skills courses of general education are similar to the remedial education courses.

　 The aim of remedial education has been to bridge the gap between universities and high schools and to maintain the quality of university education. In fact, remedial education may actually lower the quality of education. As a result, this analysis shows an ironic paradox.