We’re proud Delaware has been recognized for eliminating obstacles for students who want to attend college. But that effort will only produce the results we want if students successfully complete their post-secondary education. Thanks to a partnership with our colleges and universities we now have data to understand better than ever the academic obstacles facing students who pursue a two or four year degree.

One pitfall is clear: too many students are required to enroll in “remedial courses” to relearn what they should have mastered in high school. They invest time and money in those courses, but earn no college credit, making no progress towards graduation. Unsurprisingly, these students have higher college costs and are far less likely to earn a degree. Nationally, only a quarter of community college students who take a remedial course graduate within eight years. This problem is pervasive nationwide, affecting as many as fifty percent of students at some schools. The numbers are highest for low-income students and students of color.

Delaware must be a leader in addressing this challenge and we’re taking an important step this year by launching a new math course in three high schools. It’s designed with input from our higher education community, so that we can guarantee that if students successfully complete the course, they will be able to earn credits for all of their math courses in our colleges. We must expand this program and continue working on solutions to end the dead-end cycle of remediation for Delaware students.

By ensuring Delaware students arrive at college ready to pursue a degree without paying to repeat high school classes, we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.

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